HBRAHY 

PRirVtETOW,  IV.  J. 

l>ON<TinN  (IF 

S  A  M  I   KJ.  A  Ct  N  K  \V  , 

— ,  "  ■      I'  H  I  I.  i  1»  K  I.  r*  H  I  \  .    P  A  . 

Bx'^2  9~'.D5~8  E5?^184  3 
Elder,  William 
The  Genius  of  ecclesiastical 
freedom 


THE  GENIUS  OF 

ECCLESIASTICAL  FREEDOM; 


COMPRISING  THE 

DECLAllATION  OF  DIVINE  ORDER, 

MADE  BY 

THE  FIRST  CONVENTION 

OF  THE 

NEW  CHURCH  IN  UJNIQN  COUNTY,  INDIANA; 

TVITH   OTHER  PROCEEDirfGS   OF  THAT  DODy. 
ALSO, 

AN  EXPOSITION 

OF 

THE  ORDER  OF  DIVINE  ORDER 

REFERRED  TO  IJV  THE  ARTICLES  OF  THE  DECLARATION, 

BY  WILLIAM  ELDER, 

(^oi  i'f  sijonding  Serrelary  of  tlie  Convention. 


"  When  tlie  enfiiiy  *hal!  come  in  like  a  Hood,  (lie  Spirit  of  the  Lord  shaH 
ift  up  aslanclarcl  against  liini." — Isci.  Iix.]9. 
"  I  ■viU  oveituip,  ovj rtuin,  overturn  it." — £jefc.  xxi.  27. 


CINCINNATI: 

MDCCCXLin. 


CONTENTS. 


PACE 

NOTE  A — [See  Preliminary  Remarks.] 
Concerning  the  distinction  or  ditference  between  making  a  .protestation 

or  declaration  concerning  laws  and  judicially  enacting  them,    .       .  9 

NOTE  B— ARTICLE  1. 
Concerning  the  order  of  God  as  referred  to  the  qualification  of  men  for 

for  the  ministry,  10 

NOTE  C— ARTICLE  2. 
Concerning  the  relation  of  the  parts  to  the  whole  (as  referred  to  the 

church)  involving  the  doctrine  of  subordination,      ....  12 

NOTE  D— ARTICLE  3. 

Chap.  I. — Concerning  the  supposed  exclusive  right  of  the  clergy  to 

ordain  men  for  the  ministry,    ........  21 

Chap.  II. — Concerning  the  giving  or  transferring  of  the  Holy  Spirit  by 
the  imposition  of  hands,  claimed  in  behalf  of  the  apostles  and  thence 
by  the  clergy  as  their  successors,    .......  94 

CitAP.  III. — Concerning  ex-officio  membership  in  the  councils  or  con- 
ventions of  the  church,  claimed  by  the  clergy,         ....  106 

Chap.  IV. — Concerning  the  right  of  admitting  candidates  to  the  minis- 
terial olHce,  claimed  by  the  clergy,  Ill 

Chap.  V. — Concerning  the  riglit  of  determining  every  duty  pertaining  to 

the  clerical  office,  claimed  by  the  clergy,        .....  121 

Chap.  VI. — Concerning  particular  illustration,  as  claimed  by  the  clergy,  123 

Chap.  VII. — Concerning  the  powers  and  prerogatives  of  the  clergy  to 
rule  and  teach,  claimed  to  be  immediately  Irom  on  high,  independ- 
ent of  the  laity,   145 

Chap.  VIII. — Concerning  executive  duties  claimed  to  belong  to  the 

clergy,  235 

CirAP.  IX. — Concerning  the  supposed  right  of  the  clergy  to  be  the  repo- 
sitories of  every  thing  formal  and  ceremonious  belonging  to  the 
church,   237 

Chap.  X. — Concerning  outward  discrete  degrees  of  dignity,  claimed  as 

pertaining  to  the  body  of  the  clergy,  245 

NOTE  E— ARTICLE~4. 

Ch.\p.  I. — That  ecclesiastical  statutes,  ordinances  or  laws,  decreed  and 
set  up  by  man  wherever  spoken  of  in  the  Word,  whether  nakedly 
or  representatively,  are  there  declared  to  be  in  direct  opposition  to 
tlie  mind  and  will  of  heaven,   258 

Ch.ip.  II. — That  ecclesiastical  statutes  or  laws  were  first  devised  by 
wicked  and  presumptuous  kirgs  of  Israel,  whose  hearts  had  departed 
from  the  law  of  the  Lord,   .  272 


av 


Contents, 


Chap.  III. — That  the  clergy  of  the  christian  church,  after  the  example 
of  the  wicked  kings  of  Jsrael,  adopted  the  principle  that  man  may 
judicially  determine  faith  and  laws  of  order  for  the  man  of  the 
church,  and  carried  out  that  principle  with  a  high  hand,         .       .  282 

Chap.  IV". — That  the  principle,  namely,  that  one  man  may  determine 

faith  for  another,  is  grounded  in  the  love  of  self  and  lust  of  dominion,  325 

Chap.  V. — That  all  who  sanction  aed  approve  the  principle,  that  man 
may  determine  faith  and  laws  of  order  for  the  church,  must  needs 
approve,  at  the  same  time,  of  earthly  lord«,  yea  of  wicked  jnen  as 
being  lords  over  God's  heritage,      .       .  226 

Chap.  VI. — That  ecclesiastical  laws  for  the  government  and  faith  of  the 
church  are  the  cause  of  sorrow  and  deep  regret,  as  well. as  of  dire 
oppression,  to  all  who  adhere  to  the  laws  .of  the  Lord,  ..       .  341 

C«AP.  VII. — That  ecclesiastical  laws  tend  to  the  death  of  all  that  is  just 
and  holy  in  those  who  adhere  to  them,  and  thence  to  their  removal 
from  the  presence  of  the  Lord,  342 

•Ghap.  VIII. — That  ecclesiastical  laws,  when  first  introduced  into  the 

church,  usually  appear  harmless  though  the-end  tS)erei/f  be  death,  3.44 

NOTE  JF— ARTICLE  5. 
Concerning  the  laws  of  order  according  to  which  the  Xord  has  estib- 

lished  his  church,    .      ^      ......  ...       .       .  347 

NOTE  G— ARTICLE  t. 
Concerning  the  operation  of  the  order  of  disorder,  as  referred  to  the 

church,    ^      ,       .       .       .       .  349 

NOTE  H— ARTICLE  7. 
Concerning  the  operation  of  Divine  Order,  as  referred  to  the  church,     .  349 

NOTE  I— ARTICLE  8. 
Concerning  charity  as  being  the  essential  of  the  church,         .       .       .  350 

NOTE  K— ARTICLE  9. 
Concerning  each  member,  society  or  convention  of  the  church,  maintain- 
ing his  or  its  distinctive  variety  and  form,  353 

NOTE  L— ARTICLE  10. 
Concerning  the  use  of  subscribing  to  a  declaration  or  manifesto  of  Divine 

Order,  336 

^'qncludinc  Rem.vrks,  3«!0 


PRELIMINARY  REMARKS. 


Little  nisy  that  inaii  be  said  to  know  Who  knows  not,  th«t  the  inllu. 
ence  of  the  rierical  hierarchy  has  predominated  and  prevailed  over  the 
church  for  ages  and  centuries: — that  its  operation  has  presented  an  insup- 
erable barrier  to  a  full  and  free  "Exposition  or  Declaration  of  Divins 
Order;"  and  that  its  baneful  tendency  is  to  gag,  suppress,  and  trample  upon 
the  Spirit,  or  "  Genius  nf  Ecclesinslicnl  Freedom."  It  were  unnecessary  to 
go  far  in  search  of  the  reasons  which  induce  the  clergy  to  exert  their  influ- 
ence to  such  unholy  purposes: — especially  when  it  becomes  fully  known 
that  Divine  Order  requires,  that  "  the  Imug-hliness  of  man  be  brought  low, 
and  the  Lord  alone  exalted  ."  and  that  the  Genius  of  Kcclesiastical  Freedom 
requires,  that  man  should  be  liberated  fiom  the, galling  yoke  of  all  ecclesias- 
tical tyrants  and  oppressors.  For  such  requirements,  it  is  well  known,  by  ne 
means  comport  with  the  ambitious  views  of  clerical  hierarchs,  who,  nut  only 
usurp  the  lordship  over  God's  heritage,  but  also  reign  and  rule  over  it  by 
means  of  laws  of  their  own  devising. 

But  the  light  of  the  sun  of  a  brlghterday  is  beginning  to  dawnin  and  upon 
the  church  and  world.  Truth,  accompanied  with  Order,  her  heavenly  hand- 
maid, is  beginning  to  come  forth  from  exile  and  from  that  place  of  conceal- 
ment to  which  she  had  long  been  condemned  by -ihose  whose  exes  could  not 
endure  the  glory  of  her  brighlne~s;  and  withal  the  "  Genius  of  Ecclesiasti. 
■  cal  Freedom,"  long  banished  from  the  church,  has  at  length  gone  forth, 
hoping  to  find  a  friendly  reception, — and  thence  a  place  in  the  libraiies  of 
the  friends  of  spiritual  freedom. 

In  recommendation  of  (he  Genius,  it  is  conceived  to  be  fully  in  order  to 
«ay,  that  from  it  may  be  obtained  a  full  and  comprehensive  view  of  all  the 
most  important  events  which  have  taken  place  in  the  church,  In  relation  to 
the  subject  o(  ecclesiastical  freedom,  from  the  time  ol  the  first  declension  of 
the  Most  Ancient  Church,  down  to  the  consummation  of  the  ."Chr'tstian 
Church,  and  the  conmiencement  thence  of  the  N.  C,  or  kingdom  of  the  Lo»d, 
now  about  takihg  place  in  the  world:  and,  at  the  same  time,  not  only  a 
knowledge  of  many  and  various  things,  deeply  interesting  to  every  luao  of 
the  Church,  but  also,  that  such  knowledge  may  there  be  obtained  in  that  di- 
gested, compendious,  and  cheap  form,  (requiring  the  loss  of  almost  no  tiaie,) 
which  it  were  utterly  in  vain  to  look  for  from  any  other  known  source  now 
cxttDt.  (A.) 

THE  A  VTHOR. 


THE  DECLARATION  OF  DlViXC  ORDER: 


ADOl'TKD  UXAM3I0USLY 


BY  THE  MCMBERS  OF  THE  FIRST  CONVENTION  OF  THE  NEW 
CHURCH,  IN  UNION  COUNTY,  INDIANA. 


Article  I.  We  declare  that  tJie  grest  end  of  this  convention  or  branch  of  the 
church,  is  the  advancemeiit,  prosperity,  unity  and  peace  of  the  Lord's  New 
Churcli,  foretold  by  John,  in  the  Apocalypso,^lst  chapter ;  and  therefore,  that  it 
is  our  desire  to  adopt  such nica sin  es  as  may  best  subserve  and  tend  to  thoencour- 
ment  of  men  to  become  qualified  and  directed  to  the  work  of  the  ministry  ;  thus 
to  t)ic  propagation  and  wide  spread  of  the  Heaven))'  Doctriues  of  tlie  New 
Xcrusalcni.  (iJ.)  . 

Armci.E  il.  That  we  do  licreby  call  this  our'body  or  convention  by  tlie  name 
or  title  of  The  Firist  Co?ne.'itio»  of  lite  New  Church  in  Union  Coinily,  la; 
and  therefors,  that  wc  hope  our  brethren  will  acknowledge  us  accordingly.  (C.) 

Article  111.  That  tins  convention  is  endowed  with  the  necessary  freedom 
end  rationality,  and  thence  with  the  necessary  powers  and  prcrngatives  for  the 
government  of  itself,  as  of  itself,  from  the  Lord  ;  and  therefore,  that  the  powers 
of  this  body,  as  referred  to  the  ordination  of  its  own  ministering  members,  are 
altofjother  equal  to  those  of  the  first  convention  of  the  New  Church,  at  London, 
until  the  ordination  of  James  Hi^'dniarsh.  (D.) 

Article  IV  .  That  no  man,  or  body  of  men,  whatever,  possesses  the  rijrht  to 
exercise  dominion  over  the  faith  of  others;  and  therefore,  th:it  there  are  none 
given  wlio  possess  tlie  right  to  prescribe,  judicially  determine  and  authorita- 
tively establish  any  article  of  faith  or  ecclesiastical  law  of  church  order  what- 
ever, which,  li-om  the  least  degree  of  light  of  either  reason  or  revelation,  might 
be  conceived  as  binding  the  faith  of  others.  (E.) 

AnTici.E  V.  That  the  order  according  to  w  hich  the  Lord  has  established  and 
governs  his  church  is  such,  (whether  internal  or  external.)  that  God,  wlio  i.";  the 
Divine  Truth  itself,  is  in  all  and  every  part  of  it;  and  therefore,  that  the  laws  of 
order,  by  which  the  church  is  pstablished  and  governed,  are  noo«lier  than  those 
laid  down  in  the  heave  nly  code,  and  which  arc  just  as  many  in  number  as  there 
are  truths  in  the  Wonl.  (K.) 

Article  \1.  That  \\\e  orJcr  of  disorder,  as  referred  to  the  church,  is  the 
deteiniinalion  of  her  members,  actuated  by  the  love  of  self  and  the  lust  of 
dominion  thence,  into  tlie  form  of  insanity  which  reason  by  that  love  and  that 
lust  forges;  and  therefore,  that  the  tendency  of  such  order  is,  first,  to  the  [iro- 
duction  of  ecclesia.'itical  laws  and  commandments  of  men,  and  thence  to  tlie 
rending  asunder  of  the  church.  ((I) 

Article  VII.  That  the  order  of  Divine  order,  as  referred  to  the  church,  is 
the  determination  of  her  members,  actuated  by  love  to  the  Lord  and  charity 
towards  the  neighbor,  into  the  form  o\  wisdom  which  intelligence  by  that  love 
end  that  charity  operates;  and  llierttbre,  that  llie  tendency  of  such  order  must 
be  to  unity  of  actmn,  to  strength  and  coherency  in  the  whole.  (1!) 

Article  \  lU.  That  charity  is  the  essential  of  the  c"liurch  ;  and  therefore,  that 
while  It  is  maintained  as  such  by  this  convention,  no  declaration  or  resolution 


ResoiiUion-i  Subservient. 


VII 


wlutever  can  be  aJoptctl,  but  hy  tlip  iin  iuimoui?  consent  of  all  tho  members. 
Nevertlie'css,  c.iscs  of  emergency  may  l>e  settled  an<l  disposed  of  by  a  ccminit- 
tee,  appointed  by  tlic  elder  or  moderator  previously  appointed  by  the  uimti- 
latiix  consent  of  the  convention.  (I) 

Article  IX.  That  we  sincerely  desire  to  be  and  remain  in  union  and  fellow- 
ship with  our  beloTOd  brethren,  wherever  they  are,  whether  in  their  individual 
or  conventional  capacity,  and,  at  the  same  time,  to  he  and  remain  in  pcrlcct 
freedoin  in  spiritual  things;  and  therelore,  that,  so  far  from  tending  to  schism 
and  disorder,  it  is  hoped  that  our  action  will  be  found  to  promote  consentane- 
ous action  in  the  whole,  while  each  part  preserves  and  maintains  its  own  dis- 
tinctive variety  and  tbrm.  (IC) 

AuTrci-E-X.  That  the  preceding  articles  of  this  our  Declaration,  taken  the  in 
complex,  are  essentially  no  other  than  a  declaration,  that  the  Lord  has  gra- 
ciously granted  to  t!ie  man  of  his  New  Church,  that  he  might  have  freedom  in 
spiritual  tilings  whereby  to  goveni  himself  in  relation  to  such  things,  as  ofhim- 
self  from  the  Lord  alone';  and  therefore,  that  we  do  hereby  testify  our  approval 
of  the  whole,  (after  the  example  of  Israel  when  relumed  from  Babylonian 
r-iji! IbUii,]  by  writing  it,  and  sealing  our  names  to  it.  (L) 


RESOI.UTIONS 

SUBSERVIENT  TO  THE  LAWS  OF  ORDER  AS  LAID  IN 
THE  WORD. 

The  following  preamble  and  resolutions  were,  with  the  Declaration,  unaii  '.- 
movdij  adopted. 

Whese.\s,  The  utmost  extent  to  which  the  resolutions  of  the  men  of  the 
church,  in  tlicir  conventional  capacity,  may  lawfully  reach,  can  oii'y  be  to 
things  subservient;  and  thence  disposing  to  obedience  and  conformity  t>  the 
laws  of  Divine  Order,  plainly  and  unequivocally  taught  in  the  Word  ;  and 

Whekeas,  To  adopt  declarations,  resolutions,  etc.,  having  an  equal  bearing  on 
all  the  members  of  tlje  church,  but  which  are  neither  seen  nor  acknowletlged 
by  ail  to  be  in  subserviency  to  the  laws  of  order  laid  in  the  Word,  is  only  to 
create  offences,  and  render  asunder  the  church  ;  and 

WiiEREA'3,  Things  or  actions  whicli  may  be  seen  and  acknowledged  by  all  to  be 
subservient  in  conforming  and  disposing  the  men  of  the  church  into  obedience 
of  the  laws  of  the  church  laid  in  the  V/ord,  may  be  lawfully  adopted  as  need- 
ful and  necessary  things;  therefore, 

1.  Resolved,  That  a  ministerial  committee  shall  be  appointed  by  this  con- 
vention, any  one,  or  more,  of  whom  may  select  or  prepare  from  the  Word,  or 
the  writmgs  of  the  church,  communications,  whic'i  according  to  the  ability  given, 
may  be  delivered  or  communicated  to  the  edification  of  the  body  when  lu  ses- 
sion, and  to  the  v/orship  and  glorification  of  God. 

2.  liesoived,  That  the  following  officers  shall  be  chosen,  viz;  an  elder,  or 
moderator,  a  scribe,  or  secretary,  a  treasurer  and  a  corresponding  secretary. 

3.  Hesulved,  That  the  duties  of  the  slder  or  moderator  shall, be  as  follows: 
1st.  He  (or  in  his  absence  an  elder  pro.  tera.)  shall,  at  the  hour  of  nreetiitg,  pur- 
suint  to  adjournment,  call  the  house  to  prayer,  or  to  singing  and  prayer,  the 


VIII 


Hciohilions  Subservient. 


■  ut-.vnrd  service  of  wliich  he  may  liimself  perform,  or  call  on  some  suitable 
iriL'in'.iei-.    2d.  He  shall  call  fur  communications  from  the  ministerial  committee. 

Jle  shall  call  for  communications  generally.  4th.  He  shall  call  the  atten- 
tion of  the  convention  to  unfinished  business,  and  to  tlie  election  of  officers  to 
fill  the  place  of  such  as  may  have  resigned,  or  otherwise  may  be  vacant.  5th, 
lie  shall,  at  the  adjournment  of  the  meeting,  again  call  the  liouse  to  prayer. 

4.  llcsclved.  That  it  sliall  be  the  duty  oflhe  secretary  to  record  the  proceod- 
!  rigs  t!i.-.t  take  place  in  the  meetings,  and  to  have  tlae  custody  of  the  books  and 
p.~ipcrs  relating  thereto. 

o.  ll.  solved^  That  it  shall  be  the  duty  of  the  treasurer  to  receive  and  disburse 
the  funds  of  the  convention  under  its  order  ;  to  keep  accounts  of  the  S2me,atad 
make  report  thereof,  with  the  state  of  the  funds,  annually. 

6.  Eesolved,  That  the  corresponding  secretary  shall  be  the  organ  of  comma- 
iiicalion  with  the  convention  ;  he  shall  receive  aiMi  answer  all  comnninications 
made  to  him  touching  its  ati'airs ;  and  he,  in  conjunction  with  the  moderator, 
-  ecretary  and  treasurer,  shall  be  the  executive  organ  of  the  convention,  to  car- 
ry into  effect  its  orders,  acts,  resoulutions,  determinations.,  etc. 

7.  jRe.wlved,  That  the  officers  of  this  convention  shall  be  chosen  by  ballot, 
and  that  the  persoii  obtaining  the  greatest  number  of  votes  shall  always  be 
duly  chosen. 

b'.  liz  solved.  That  the  annual  meeting  of  the  First  Convention  of  the  New 
Church  in  Union  County,  Indiana,  shall  be  held  on  the  first  Saturday  in  Sep- 
tember, and  the  Sunday  following^  at  Springdale  Farm,  until  otherwise  direct- 
ed by  the  convention  ;  and  that  our  brethren  at  a  distance  be  invited  to  commu- 
nicate or  correspond  with  us  at  our  annual  meetings. 

!).  Hi  solved,  That  the  term  of  office  for  the  officers  of  this  body  (the  minis- 
terial com.mittee  excepted)  shall  expire  at  the  annual  meeting  of  the  convention, 
.-.t  which  time  new  officers  shall  be  elected,  or  tlie  old  ones  re-elected. 

10.  Nesolvrd.  That  we  much  regret,  that  our  brethren,  the  editors  of  the  or- 
_an  of  tlic  Western  Convention  at  Cincinnati,  have  declined  publishing  or  even 

oturning  our  communications,  read  before  that  body  ;  seeing  it  contained  (a 
;  w  unimportant  things  excepted  J  the  preceding  Declarations  and  Resolutions. 

11.  Iirsolved,  Thai  the  sum  o!   dollars  be  donated  by  this  body  to  aid  in 

the  publication  of  the  Order  of  Divine  Order,  as  advocated  in  the  preceding  De- 
<:larati  )n  and  Resolutions. 

12.  lUfidved,  That  the  officers  of  this  body,  elected  or  appointed  agreeably 
lo  its  former  proceedings,  shall,  accordingly,  retain  retain  their  officers  until  the 
■innual  convention  next  ensuing. 

13.  Hrsolved,  That  upon  motion  made  and  seconded,  at  any  session  of  this 
I  invention,  al\er  the  servic  of  prayer,  the  secretary  shall  read  the  minutes  of 
!fio  session  or  sessions  preceding. 

14.  litsolocd,  That  the  corresponding  Secretary  be  requested  to  prepare  an 
:\  jositiiin.  illustrative  of  the  nature  of  our  Declaration  and  other  proceedings. 


EXPOSITION. 


"  When  the  enemy  shall  come  in  like  a  flood,  the  Spirit  of  the  Lord  ahall 
;Uft  up  a  standard  against  him." — Isaiah  lix.  19. 

I  will  overturn,  overturn,  overturn  it." — Ezekiel  xxi.  27. 

NOTE  A.— (See  PreUminaries.) 

Concerning  the  distinction  between  making  a  declaration 
concerning  the  laws  of  order,  and  enacting  them. 

1.  Let  it  be  known,  in  the  first  place,  that  by  the  preceding 
Decla»ation  of  Ditine  Order,  nothing  more  is  meant  or 
intended  than  a  formal  protestation  or  manilesto  concerning  the 
laws  of  Divine  order,  namely,  -concer nii>g  their  nature  and  all- 
•stijicienc}/,  and  that  they  are  they  which  alone  are  truly  the 
laws  of  the  Church.  'Is  it  indeed  necessary  gr?vely  to  inform  an 
intelligent  communily,  that  a  manifesto,  protestation,  or  declara- 
tion made  concerning  -the  laws  of  a  nation  or  people,  is  not 
in  itself  a  law,  nor  body  flf  laws,  any  more  than  a  finger  point- 
ing out  away,  is  tn  i'self  a  way  '/  6r  must  we  inform  an  in- 
telligent people,  ttiat  the  church  may,  with  the  utmost  propriety 
and  consistency,  adopt  a  declaration  or  protestation  concerning 
^he  laws  of  Divine  order,  while  she  disclaims  it  as  utterly  un- 

lav/ful  to  enact  and  establish  laws  of  her  own  devising,  by  which 
to  be  ordered  and  governed  ? 

2.  Agreeably  to  the  annals  of  the  Churcli,  the  German  princes 
who  assembled  at  the  Diet  of  Spire,  in  1529,  protested  and  de- 
clared, that  the  only  source  of  doctrine  was  the  Sacred  Scripture, 
and  not  the  writings  or  traditions  of  fallible  men: — and  re- 
specting which,  it  is  asked,  was  the  protestation  or  declaration 
there  made  by  the  Germans  against  ecclesiastical  laws,  itself  a 
code  of  e<!clesiastical  laws  ?  B}'  no  means.  Whence,  although, 
as  Dr.  Tafel  observes,*  "Protestant  churches  have  not  remained 
proiestant,  inasmuch  as  they  have  established,  instead  of  the 


*  See  Precursor,  Vol.  II.  page  221. 


10  Qualificalion  of  Men  to  the  Ministry.     [Nole  B. 


popes  and  councils,  or  other  fallible  anlh'iriiies,  such  as  Confess- 
ions of  Faith,  Calechiiins,  Formula  Concordia,"  (or  rather, 
f/iscordia,)  etc.,  it  is  nevertlinless  hoped,  that  no  luaa  of  the 
Ctiurch,  and  especially,  no  New  Church  man,  will  have  the 
hardihood  to  assert,  that  to  adopt  a  protestation  or  declaration 
concerning  Divine  Order,  is  the  same  as  to  enact  and  establish 
ecclesiastical  laws  by  ichich  to  govern  the  Church; — or,  what 
is  viriually  the  same  thing,  that  to  protest  against  the  iradiiioas 
and  comniandmenis  of  men,  and  to  go  about  to  establish  them, 
are  one  and  the  same  thing  '. 


NOTE  B.— ARTICLE  1. 

Concerning  the  order  of  God,  as  referred  to  the  qualifications 
of  men  to  the  Ministry. 

3.  The  Divine  Order  to  which  the  first  article  points,  is  spe- 
cially treated  of  in  Deuteronomy,  from  these  words  :  "  And 
these  words  which  I  command  thee  this  day  shall  be  in  thy 
he.irt,  and  thou  shalt  teach  them  diligently  unto  thy  rhildren, 
and  thou  shall  talk  of  them  when  thou  ^ittest  in  thine  house, 
und  when  thou  \^*lkesl  by  the  way,  and  when  thon  lieei  down, 
and  when  thou  risi  sl  up;" — "  tl.ai  yourd.iys  may  be  muliiplied. 
and  the  days  of  your  children,  as  the  days  of  heaven  upon  the 
earth  ;  " — "  that  iso  man  may  be  able  to  stand  before  you."  (See 
vi.  3  to  7,  11,  21  to  25.)  And,  in  reference  to  children  thus 
taught,  the  I,ord,  bv  the  mouth  of  Jeremiah,  further  evinces  his 
Divine  Order,  in  relation  to  the  ministry,  in  these  words  :  "  I 
will  bring  again  the  captivity  of  Jacob's  tents — their  noble» 
[tho?e  who  le.iil]  shall  l>c  of  ihemsr^l  vcs,  an  i  their  governor  [truth 
of  tl;e  church,  tln-.s  iheir  teacher  or  preacher]  shall  proceed 
tr  im  the  mids<  of  them — iheir  children  shall  be  as  aforetime, 
and  ilieir  convention  sliall  be  estHblished  before  me,  and  I  will 
punish  all  liial  opj>ress  iIkmii.  In  the  latter  days  ye  shall  con- 
sider ii."  (See  XXX.  18  to  24.)  Whence  we  see  that  it  is  of 
Divine  order,  that  ilie  men  of  the  church  should  te;ich  their  chil- 
dren under  iheir  own  auspici  s  nnti  superintendanre,  to  the  end 
that  their  leaders  and  teachers  may  be  of  themselves,  ami  pro- 
ceed from  their  midst ;  and  thus  that  ihey  might  bid  dcfnnce 
to  every  foreign  yoke,  and  at  the  same  lime,  lliat  no  7nan  might 
b3  able  to  atand  brforc  them. 

4.  But,  in  the  consummated  church,  where  the  order  of 


An.  1.] 


Moderation  of  Calfs,  etc. 


11 


disorder  prevails,  ilie  reverse  of  llie  Divine  order  just  noticed 
iisually  takes  place;  and  that  sucli  is  re;illy  ilie  case,  may  bo 
seen  from  this,  that  the  clergy  of  that  clmrcii,  from  the  love  of 
self  and  lus't  of  dominion,  thence,  liave  so  ordered  and  directed 
matters  and  ihinjrs  as  to  be  considered,  in  relation  to  the  laity, 
whiit  the  soul  is  to  the  body,  thus  to  be  considered  spirit  or 
spiritual,  and  the  laity  only  matter,  material,  earth! ij  or  lera- 
poral ;  and,  in  accordance  with  such  e.\;dted  view  s  in  relation 
to  themselves,  iiave  seized  upon  tiie  ^siiperiniendancy  of  the 
education  of  all  those  who  aspire  to  become  members  of  l/ieir 
spiritual  body,  thus  upon  the  governmpul  and  control  over  all 
those  designed  for  tlie  ministy.    But  what  is  liie  result  thence 
flowing?    Surely,  it  is  no  other  than  that  which  eveiy  man 
ought  reasonably  to  expect,  namely,  th  it  in  due  time  such  can- 
did  iies  for  the  ministry,  like  automatons,  become  squared  and 
fitted  up  to  the  standard  and  tuill  of  their  ghostly  fathers, 
both  in  faith  and  practice.    Nevertheless,  these  fathers,  in  re- 
turn fur  the  slavish  obedience  of  their  spiritual  children,  are 
usually   careful  to  dispose  of,  and  ordain  them,  whether  by 
means  of  calls,  moderation  of  calls,  or  otherwise,  to  good  liv- 
ings and  fat  benefices  ;  thus  fulfilling  that  which  was  long  before 
spoken  by   Habakkuk,  saying.  "  they  sacrifice  to  their  net, 
[their  church  order,  ]  and  i)nrn  incense  to  their  drair,  \_1he  order 
of  disorder, ']\)ecz.w»<i  by  them  their  portion  is  made  jai,  and 
their  meat  plenteous^    From  all  which,  it  may  be  seen,  by 
those  who  are  willing  to  see,  that  the  primary  end  of  the  clergy, 
in  the  consummated  church,  in  superintending  tiie  educaiion  of 
those  who  are  designed  for  the  ministrv,  so  far  from  its  being 
_  to  the  end  that  the  church  niis;hl  be  esiaidished  according  to 
Divine  order,  is  no  other  than  that  the  priestly  succession, 
and  with  it  the  dominion  of  the  clergy  over  the  souls  and  thence 
the  bodies  of  the  laity  might  be  fairly  established,  and  that 
fdrever. 

5.  But  shall  all  former  experience  go  for  just  nothing  at  ail  ? 
Shall  ihe  annals  of  the  church  teach  no  wisdom  ?  Whence  we 
trust  ihat  the  men  of  the  New  Church,  instead  of  placing  iheir 
funds  in  a  ministerial  fund. — formally  created  for  the  purpose 
of  qualifying  men  for  the  ministry,  but  essentially  to  be  appro- 
priated by  the  clergy  in  support  of  their  own  succession,  and 
to  strengthen  and  establish  their  seat,  their  power  and  their 
great  authority  over  the  laity, — m  ill  so  dispose  of  their /?<nffs 
as  to  qualify  and  order  men  of  themselves,  that  is  men  pro- 
cecding  from  their  midst,  to  become  their  nobles  and  govern- 
ors, ihni  is,  theii  leaders  ;md  teachers. 

6.  The  men  of  the  New  Church,  then,  will  not  give  their 


12 


Relalion  of  the  Parts  to  the  Whole. 


[Note  C, 


subslance  to  swell  ministerial  funds  abroad,  from  which  to 
bring  over  themselves  the  government  of  "  strangers,"  or  of 
"  women  ;"  (/sa.  i,  7  ;  iii.  12  ; )  nor  funds  from  which  to  make 
and  create  for  themselves  "  priests  of  the  lowest  of  the  people." 
as  were  those  of  "  Jereboam,  the  son  of  Nebat,  who  made  Israel 
to  sin  ;"  [the  first  public  ordaining  minister,  not  of  the  tribe  of 
Levy,  of  which  we  have  any  account  in  the  annals  of  the  church.] 
But  who  are  they  who  are  "  the  lowest  of  the  people?"  Are 
they  not  those  who  are  raost  destitu(e  of  freedom  m  the  will, 
and  who  thence  are  moved  like  machines,  by  tlie  rod  or  will 
of  ethers  I  And^  coHsequep.*ly,  who  is  lie  that  is  a  "  priest  of 
the  lowest  of  the  people,"  but  that  sotilless  automaton  who 
knows  nothing,  can  be  moved  by  nothing  bid  the  will,  and  by 
the  will  oi  h'\'^  ghostly  svperinr?  The  "priests  of  the  calves" 
being  in  strict  sif^iordinalion  to  the  will  of  Jtreboam.  as  their 
superior,  and  esperially,  as  tlieir  ordaining  minister  (2  Chron. 
xi.  15,  and  1  Kings,  xii.)  could  therefore  be  not  made  [ordain- 
ed 3  oj  the  Ivu-est  of  the  people.  Whence  it  follows,  as 
before,  that  New  Church  men  will  not  contribute,  by  their 
funds  or  otherwise,  to  make  or  cieale  priests  who  shall  be  in 
subordination  \o  the  will  of  aiiy  superior,  lest  it  s^hoiild  appear 
in  the  sequel,  that  such  priests,  like  those  whom  Jereboam  or- 
dained, hitd  been  made  [ordained]  of  the  louest  of  the  people. 

7.  But,  since  the  men  of  the  New  Church  may  not  do  ihus 
and  so,  the  question  arises,  what  may  they  do  to  encourage  and 
direct  men  to  the  minisirV  ?  To  this  it  is  arswered,  may  they 
not  give  their  sons  and  young  men  a  gooi'Tyea,  a  liberal  educa- 
tion ?  May  they  not  t;ilk  of  the  Word  and  the  Heavenly  Doc- 
trines of  the  New  Jerusalem,  "  when  lliey  sii  in  the  house, 
when  they  walk  by  the  way,  when  the}'  lie  down,  ard  when 
thev  rise  up;"  and  this  in  the  hearing  of  their  sons  and  young 
men  ?  May  they  not  invite,  clioose  and  appoint  them  to  be  of 
the  n:inisierial  committee,  {see  liesolullon  is/.)  thus  lo  he  pro- 
bationers for  the  ministry?  And  where  every  spiritual  let, 
hindrance  and  barrier  arising  fiom  the  \\\\\o{  ghostly  superiors 
are  banished,  may  we  not  reasonably  conclude,  thai  the  candi- 
date or  probationer  must  needs  "  stir  up  the  gift  of  God  wiihrn 
him  ?"  Nay,  finally,  is  it  at  all  absurd  to  conclude,  th;it,  in  the 
convention  or  comp  of  the  saints,  the  spirit  of  the  Lord  will 
at  times  move  him,  as  it  did  Sampson  in  the  cat/ip  of  Dan, 
betuccn  Zorah  and  Eshtacl?  '1  o  which  add,  that  ilie  order 
here  suggested,  being  after  the  older  of  heaven,  is  therefore  in 
liarniony  with  ihe  order  that  was  to  have  place  in  the  church, 
in  ilie  l;\tter  day,  as  foretold  by  the  prophets,  namely,  that  every 
man  should  "  worship  under  his  own  vine  and  fig  tree,  and  from 


Art.  2.] 


The  Doctrine  of  Subordination. 


13 


his  [own]  place,  {Mic.  iv.  4,  and  Zeph.  ii.  11,)  in  liarmony 
Willi  the  Divine  siin|)licity  of  ilie  goldea  aije,  and  ia  iiatmony 
with  those  civil  insiilutions  called  republican. 


NOTE  C  ARTICLE  2. 

€oncernins^  the  relation  of  the  Parts  to  the  Whole,  and  (as 
referred  to  the  church)  concerntng  the  doctrine  of  Sub- 
ordination. 

8.  The  order  flowin?  from  Divine  order,  pointed  at  by 
the  second  article  ol  tlie  Declaration,  may  be  seen  from  this, 
that  such  as  is  the  mass  of  any  distinct  substance,  such  also  is 
the  least  portion  of  it;  and  that  the  fragment  of  a  rock  as  great 
as  the  Andes,  is  in  itself  also  a  rock,  however  small  it  may  be  ; 
the  ultimate  atoms  necessary  to  constitute  the  whole,  being 
alike  necessary  to  constitute  the  least  particle.  Whence,  the 
order  of  God,  in  spiritual  things,  beinp;  understood  by  the  same 
order  in  the  natural  thinirs  which  are  made,  ( lioni.  i.  20,)  it 
follows,  that  if  the  New  Church,  when  generally  convened  to- 
gether, he  justly  called  a  Conventinn,  so  als\)  is  the  least  dis- 
tinctive branch  of  it,  when  convened  together,  justly  called  by 
the  same  name. 

9.  But  tlie  order  here  pointed  out,  and  adopted,  alihougli 
seen  to  be  in  accordance  wiili  Divine  order,  is  neveitheiess  in 
opposition  to  the  order  prevailing  in  the  Old  Church,  as  referred 
to  the  same  subject.  For,  in  that  church,  it  is  not  considered 
lawful  for  a  distinctive  branch  of  ii,  under  any  circumstances, 
to  assume  the  same  naoie  or  title,  and  thence  similar  ()ower3 
and  prerogatives  with  the  whole  when  generally  or  representa- 
tively convened  together;  and  more  especially  so,  when  the 
representation  is  by  means  of  the  clergy  alone,  as  is  yet  the 
case  in  the  Ciiuich  of  Rome,  and  in  several  of  her  reformed 
descendants. 

10.  VViio  is  he  that  knows  not  that  it  is  usual  wiih  the  repre- 
sentatives of  the  Old  Church,  when  met  in  council  or  conven- 
tion, and  especially,  if  they  be  of  the  clergy,  immediately,  from 
the  love  of  self  and  lust  of  dominion  thenee,  to  take  up  the  fond 
conceit,  that  themselves  are  the  first  iligits  of  the  church, 
whether  it  be  conip-sedof  10.  100,  1000,  or  10,000,  thus,  in  a 
word,  that  that  they  themselves  are.  the  C/iurch,  that  is,  the  all 
of  it  that  deserves  that  name?  (See  Precurser,  vol.  ii.  p.  307, 
fiist  column.)  Whence,  from  the  same  conceit,  it  farther  re- 
sults, that  THEIR  !\iEEriNG  musi  needs  be  called  a  council,  a 

2 


14 


Relations  of  the  Paris  io  the  Whole.       [Note  C, 


CONVOCATION,  a  CONFERENCE,  OF  3  SYNOD,  wliilst  the  members 
of  a  disiinciive  brancli  of  ilie  siime  church,  in  Ihetr  meetings, 
must  never  assume  a  higher  liile  than  iliM  o{  meeting,  society, 
or  congregation.  And  ihal  such  is  the  case,  may  be  seen  from 
this,  thai  were  a  society  or  congregation  nf  the  Olii  Church  to 
assiime  ihe  ii;ime  or  tiile  of  synod  or  conference,  and,  in  accord- 
ance therewith,  exercise  the  power  of  a  sjnod  or  coi Terence, 
thai  is,  ihe  power  of  legislating  for  itself  and  thus  doing  its 
own  latv-making,  such  proctetlings  would  be  considered  the 
topmost  height  ol  arrogancy  and  presumption  by  every  dignitary 
ol  the  chiircli  !  Nay.  the  1  ast  motion,  in  a  distijiclive  brancli 
of  the  church,  towards  the  exeicfse  of  leginlalive  power,  is 
usually  met  by  a  withering  rebuke  from  one  or  other  of  the 
dignitaries  of  the  church.  And  that  such  is  really  tlie  case, 
even  a  New  Church  man  need  not  go  far  to  find  ii  authorita- 
tively w  (itten,  as  follow'S  :  "■No  more  of  legislation  than  is 
abiclulely  necessary  for  their  immediate  and  local  tvants, 
should  lie  permIttid  to  engage  their  attention.^^  That  is, 
legislation  (except  as  stated)  slioulil  not  be  permitted  to  engage 
the  atient.on  of  New  Church  men  at  their  meetings — at  meet- 
ings which  arc  not  synods,  coitncils,  cor-ferences,  etc. 

II.  But,  of  that  which  a  very  child  should  know,  the  clergy, 
it  would  stem,  remain  ignorant,  tamely,  that  the  general  is 
from  the  particulars,  and  the  wiiole  from  the  parfs  ;  and  conse- 
quently, ihat  the  power  of  the  general  or  whole  is  in  tlie  par- 
ticulars or  pans;  that  it  remains  with  them,  and  that  it  cannot 
be  separated  from  them  ;  and,  therefore,  also,  that  is  as  im- 
pofsible  of  the  man  of  the  churdi  to  commit  or  delegate  iiis 
freedi  m  in  spiritual  things  to  anoihci,  or  to  oti  ers  purporting 
to  be  the  general  or  whole,  as  it  would  be  to  transiVr  th^na- 
tuial  fie<clom  and  power  of  the  right  arm.  in  a  state  of  perfect 
soundness,  to  the  left  arm,  in  such  scTi  as  afierivards  to  remain 
ntierly  without  pow»r  to  obey  the  determinations  of  the  will 
flowing  fr(Mii  the  head  ;  or,  as  it  would  be  to  transfer  the  attrac- 
tion o'  gravitation  proper  to  iion  ov*  r  to  biass,  so  that  the  brass, 
receiving  the  surdiarge  of  gravity,  might  thciice  be  as  heavy  as 
gold;  ayd  the  iron,  losing  its  gravity,  as  imponderable  as  even 
caloric  iiself!  But,  \vl  en  the  natural  weight  of  iron  can  be 
triinsfoiird  to  biass,  in  such  soil  that  the  brass  may  thence  he 
\iriually  gold,  and  ihe  iron  mere  dro>s  and  of  no  weiglit,  then 
may  ti  e  spiriinal  vdglil  rf  Ihe  laity  be  delegated,  committed 
and  tranhfi  rred  toothers,  aid  espt  cially  to  tlie  clergy,  in  sucli 
fiirl  ll  :;t  ihe  clergy  ni<iy  ili<n<  e  be  virlvally  the  Church,  and 
the  laity  theniselvcs  mere  ciphers  and  of  no  weight  whatever; 
ai  d  in  juch  case,  ^p(^  kiIlg  of  the  clergy  and  laity,  it  will  be 


Art.  2.] 


lUuslraled  in  the  case  of  Luther. 


15 


qiiile  correct  to  say  tlie  church  and  the  people.  (S«e  Precursor, 
vol.  ii,  piig-e  307,  first  column.) 

12.  Ii  is  quiie  probjihle  that  some  New  Church  men  believe, 
that  Divine  order  requires  that  "The  parts  should  be  in  subor- 
diiiaiion  lo  the  whole;  ihal  the  parts  receive  vigor  from  the 
whole;  tliat  the  perfection  of  the  church  depends  upon  variety 
in  members  and  societies,  provided  each  a.cl3  in  subordination 
to  the  whdle  ;  and  tliat  a  society  shi/uld  be  permiiied  lo  act  in 
freedom  [on/i/]  so  long  as  its  acts  harmonize  with  the  order  of 
the  whole."  (See  Precursor,  vol.  ii,  pp.  9,  10.)  But,  as  touch- 
ing these  seuiimenis,  let  it  first  be  obsened  generally,  that  we 
never  abandon  false  principles  so  readily  as  when  we  discover 
that  they  may  be  used  v  ry  consistently  by  our  oppone^its  to 
establish  and  confirm  things  abhorrent  and  known  to  be  false. 
Therefore,  it  will  (bllow,  that  when  we  plainly  discover  that 
the  sentiments  and  principles  jusi  noticed  may  very  consistenUy 
be  used  by  the  papal  Church,  as  [iroofs  of  things  wiiicn  wc 
know  to  be  false,  we  will,  as  just  suggested,  be  ready  to  abandon 
tliem  at  once.  But  that  it  may  bedisvovered  that  such  is  re;iliy 
the  case,  it  is  only  necessary  to  conceive  the  principirs  in  ques- 
tion wielded  against  Luther,  in  his  celebr.iled  debate  with 
Cajetan,  the  pope's  legate.  That  is,  lo  c  mceive  that  haughty 
cardinal  syllogizing  as  .'ollows: 

1st.  "  The  pans  should  be  in  subordination  lo  the  whole;" 
but  you  and  your  adherents  are  but  a  small  part  of  the  whole, 
therefore,  you  and  they  should  be  in  due  subordination  to  the 
whole,  as  represented  in  general  council,  or  in  the  pope  himself. 

2d.  "The  parts  receive  all  their  vigor  from  the  whole;"  but 
you  aijd  your  colleagues  are  no  other  than  pans  of  the  whole 
church;  therefore,  whatever  of  vieor  or  power  you  possess  to 
perform  use  in  the  church,  is  derived  subordiuately  from  the 
whole,  re[)resente(l  in  the  pope, 

3d.  "  The  perfection  of  the  cliureli  depends  upon  variety, 
piovided  each  member  or  distinctive  society  acts  in  subordina- 
tion to  the  whole  ;"  but  you  do  no'  act  in  ilue  subordination  to 
(he  wliole  as  represeniated  in  the  pope  ;  therefore  you  mar  the 
beauty  and  perfecti  m  of  the  church,  by  introducing  heresy  and 
schism,  instead  of  varielj'. 

4th.  "A  distinctive  society  should  be  permitted  to  act  in 
freedom,  only  so  long  as  its  acts  harmonize  with  t!ie  general 
order  of  the  whole  ;"  but  as  your  acts  do  not  harmonize  with  the 
order  of  the  whole,  as  exhibited  by  the  will  of  the  pope;  there- 
fore, you  should  not  be  permitted  to  act  or  remaiti  in  freedom 
a  dav  longer. 

13,  Having  now  witnessed  the  applicability  of  the  princi- 


16  Relations  of  the  Parts  to  the  whole,       [Note  C, 


pies  in  question  to  popish  purposes,  are  we  ready  to  abandon 
them  at  once  ?  Having  seen  how  ihey  tend  to  nerve  \he  sword- 
arm  of  (lire  oppression  in  spiritual  things,  and  thence  stand  in 
direct  opposition  to  every  attempt  at  reformation  in  ihe  church, 
are  we  ready  to  execrate  them  as  false  and  from  hell  ?  If  we 
are,  then  we  are  also  ready,  nay,  anxious  to  hear  what  Luther 
might  have  to  say  against  them,  thus  in  his  own  defence,  and 
which  might  veiy  justly  be  considered  to  be  after  the  import 
following : 

1st.  In  relation  to  the  first  proposition,  it  is  not  according  to 
Divine  order,  that  the"  parts  should  be  in  subnidination  tf)  the 
whole,  any  more  than  that  the  cause  should  be  in  subordination 
to  the  effect  flowing  from  ii,  inasmuch  as  the  parts  are  to  the 
whole  what  the  cause  is  to  the  effect.  And  thai  such  is  really 
the  case,  mny  be  seen  from  this,  that  an  act  of  the  whole  is  but 
an  effect  flowing  from  the  united  action  of  the  parts,  as  the 
pioximale  cause.  IVhence,  instead  of  the  action  of  the  parts 
being  in  subordination  to  that  of  the  whole,  the  reverse  is  that 
which  is  rather  given;  that  is,  the  action  of  the  whole,  as  re- 
ferred to  the  body,  is  dependent  upon,  and  therefore  subordinate 
to  that  of  the  parts,  at  least  proximately.  As,  for  exam()le,  is 
the  eye,  as  a  member  of  the  body,  in  subordination  to  some 
abstract  imaginary  thing  called  the  whole  body  or  i<  it  in  sub- 
ordination to  one,  two,  or  more  members  of  the  body,  vainly 
supposed  to  represent  the  whole  body  '  Nay,  ra'her,  instead  of 
s?/iordiiiaiion  to  the  whole,  the  eye  may  be  com-eived  as  capable 
of  seeing  after  many  of  the  other  members  are  lopped  away. 
Whence  it  is  justly  concluded  farther,  thnt  if  the  parts  should 
be  in  .'u'loidinaiio  i  to  the  whole,  then  should  mixtures  or  com- 
pounds he  !iiv(  n  in  the  fi-st  place,  and,  in  the  second  pi  ce, 
their  roiisiituent  parts!  or,  whiit  is  viriually  the  same,  that  a 
Avhole  .'hould  lie  given  in  the  first  place,  and  tliat,  in  the  second 
pl.ice.  the  constiiucnt  p:!rts  should  be  formed,  out  of  which  the 
whole  was  first  formed!  and,  consequemly,  thnt  when  tilings 
are  given  iifter  such  order,  then  also  represi  niatives  of  the 
cliurch,  implying  the  whole,  may  be  given  in  the  first  phice, 
and,  ill  the  seroml  place,  the  formation  and  derivation  of  their 
constituents  suboidinatelv  from  themselves;  and  this  after  such 
manne  r,  that  of  such  constituents  it  may  be  said,  tliat  they  are 
formed         Ihioiigh,  and  by  their  representatives,"  !  ! 

2d.  in  r»Iation  to  ilie  second  proposition,  let  it  be  known, 
that  the  parts,  instead  of  deriving  their  vigor  from  the  whole, 
derive  all  their  vijror  froin  the  root  from  which  tlie  whole  grows. 
And.  that  such  is  really  the  case,  take  for  examjile,  a  tree 
abounding  with  overshuiowing  brandies,  but  which  has  borno 


Art.  2.] 


J/lust reded  in  the  case  of  Lu/her, 


17 


little  or  no  fruit  lor  iilmost  1000  years;  niid  that  now  at  lengtli 
a  braiK-ii,  spriiiuing  u|)  from  llie  roots  of  lliai  tree,  makes  its 
api»caiaii(;e, — a  branch  aiisce[iiil)le  of  bearini^  Uio  fruit  originally 
ii)ieii(ied  by  him  th;it  first  planted  it.  i'hen,  tlie  quesiion  is, 
whether  the  Inancli  in  quet-timi  nuist  receive  iis  victor  and  pow- 
er to  bear  fruil  frohi  the  barren  and  iinfrniiful  branches,  which 
overshadow  it,  or  from  the  root — the  common  s/oc/f  from  which 
ihey  ail  grow?  (See  n.  20,  Art.  10.)  Nay,  ratiier,  wonld  not 
the  biancl)  in  question  be  in  a  belti-r  condition  to  bear  fruit,  if 
every  barren  and  witliered  branch  were  ioppetJ  away  ? 

3d.  1b  rtdation  t0  the  third  propnsition,  namely,  "  Tiiat  the 
'perfection  of  the  cliureh  i'e-pends  npon  variety,  provided  eacli 
member  or  particular  society  acts  in  subordination  to  ihe  whole," 
it  is  alleged,  that  what  is  thus  pro  )osed  is  true  independently 
of  the  pr()V.;s04  butihat  in  conjnnciioii  with  it,  it  is  utierly  false 
and  absurd,  especially  seeing  ihiit  the  subordination  spoken  of 
must  necessarily  destroy,  in  the  very  bud,  that  v-iriely  which  is 
acknowledged  to  be  necessary  to  cons-tiin-te  the  beauty  and  per- 
|^e(^til^n  ef  the  wlioie.  When  that  individual  freedom  in  spiiiiual 
things,  from  which  alone  that  variety  which  is  the  perfection 
and  "lory  of  the  church  can  flow,  must  lie  in  subortlination  to 
the  will  of  one  mm,  representiui;  the  while,  (as  the  pope)  or  to 
the  will  of  ecclesiastics  ii4  c-oiwieil  -aeseKirsiik-d,  ilien  may  it  in 
truth  be  said  of  the  church,  HER  GLORY  IS  DEPARTED, 
for  ihe  Ark  of  God  is  taken  by  the  Philistines.  If  each  mem- 
ber of  the  churcli  must  be  in  subordination  to  the  whole,  and 
fhat  whole  should  "happen  to  be  represented  by  the  member  of 
the  chur<-h  answering  to  the  foot,  would  it  not,  in  such  case, 
necessarily  result,  that  instead  of  that  beautiful  variety  which 
oii^ht  to  be  seen  and  witnessed  in  the  members  of  the  church, 
Ilk*  t'lie  Moaes  in  iJiie  bjeasl  plate  of  Aaron,  we  should  be  able 
le  see  nothing  feut  a  disgusUinji  ■eanieness — something  answering 
to  the  foot,  in  whatever  direction  we  might  cast  our  eyes  !  But  ' 
the  Apoglle  asks,  "  if  the  whole  body  were  an  eye,  where  were 
the  hearing  ?"  and,  "  if  all  were  one  member,  where  were  the 
body  ?"  (See  I  Cor.  xii.  17,  19.)  By  the  former  question,  the 
apostle  teaches  variety  ;  and  by  the  latter,  the  impossibility  of 
constituting  one  member  or  a  few  members  so  as  to  either  repre- 
eeiit  the  whole,  or  to  be  the  whoie  in  atiy  sense  whatever. 

4th,  And  lai  ly,  in  relation  to  the  fourth  proposition,  namely 
that  "  A  member  or  distinctive  branch  of  the  church  should  not 
be  permitted  to  act  in  freedom,  unless  he  or  its  acts  harmimize 
with  the  will  of  the  whole,"  it  is  alleged,  that  if  such  were  the 
order  of  God,  as  referred  to  the  spiritual  liody  of  the  church, 
then,  in  the  natural  body,  which  corresponds  in  all  things  to 

2* 


18  Relation  of  the  Paris  to  the  J^f^hole        [Nate  C, 


the  chnrch,  ihe  determinations  of  the  will,  in  a  particular  mem- 
ber, must  needs  be  in  swiordinatioa  to  the  determinations  of  a 
contrary  irill  in  all  the  rest  of  the  members!  and  whicli,  as  re- 
ferred to  the  church,  is  nothing  less  than  to  set  up  an  idle  con- 
ceived as  the  whole,  whether  in  the  shape  of  a  council  or  pnpe, 
the  determination  of  whose  will,  should,  in  all  things,  he  para- 
mount  to  the  determinations  of  the  will  of  the  Lord,  in  the  par- 
ticular members  of  his  body  !  This  were  to  constitute  the 
council  or  the  pope  (as  the  case  may  be)  the  supreme  head  of 
the  church,  and  king  of  the  kingdom  of  heaven  at  once — and 
the  Lord,  the  true  Head  and  Kmgof  his  church  and  kingdom, 
as  one  of  the  subordinate  subjects!  This  were  to  invert  the 
Lord's  body — nay,  in  such  sort  as  to  place  the  head  where  the 
i'eel  should  be,  and  tiie  heels  aloft  fucking  ag;iinst  heaven  ! 

14.  Mut  besides  the  arguments  here  adduced,  as  thousfh  they 
had  originilly  been  adduced  by  Luther  himself,  against  Cnjetan, 
the  pope's  legate,  we  may,  with  a  similar  propriety  and  cor- 
sistency,  conceive  that  we  hear  Lnlher  in  his  concluding  re- 
matks  declare,  that  from  his  having  left  not  one  stone  vpon 
another,  in  relation  to  the  premises  of  his  aniagfonist,  the  con- 
clusions founded  upon  them  must  necessarily  fall  to  the  ground 
of  themselves  for  want  of  foundaiiim;  and  thence,  also,  in  rela- 
lation  to  that  imas^inary  whole,  so  much  insisted  on,  whether  in 
the  shape  of  a  council  or  of  a  pope,  that  he  and  his  associates, 
although  standing  on  different  meridians,  yei  considi  red  them- 
selves precisely  parallel  and  CO  ordinate  WI  TH  it  ;  and.  that 
Ifeing  determined  to  maintain  their  distinctive /brm9,y>/nc/iO??» 
and  variety,  so  as  not  to  become  amalgamalcd  with  the  whole, 
whence  they  miaht  lose  their  identity,  and  with  if  their  crown, 
they  therefore  could  not  become  SiJli-ordinate  TO  it ! 

15.  But  again,  from  the  above  Arguments  put  in  the  mouth  of 
TjUther,  is  it  not  manifest,  that  to  go  about  to  teach  that  a  mem- 
ber of  the  church,  on  a  distinctive  society  of  it,  should  be  in 
subordination  to  the  whole,  whether  that  whole  be  conceived 
as  of  all  the  members  taken  in  thocomplcx.  or  as  of  their  repre- 
sentative in  the  person  of  a  pope,  or  as  of  their  representatives 
in  council  or  convention,  is  only  to  go  about  to  teach  the  order 
OF  DISORDER,  in  npposiiif)n  to  that  of  Divine  order,  according 
to  wliii  h  the  Lord  has  established  the  church  ? 

16.  Luther  is  exhibited  as  placing  himself  exactly  parallel 
and  co-ordinate  ivith  the  pope,  (ii.  14,)  and  not  s?//;-ordinaie  to 
him.  'I'his,  we'mainiain,  is  as  it  should  be ;  for.  who  is  he 
that  will  now  say  that  the  pope  had  a  better  right  to  the  Word, 
or  to  determiiip  the  sense  thereof,  than  Luiher  had '  Neverthe- 
less, the  Catholic  cotemporarics  of  Luther  esteemed  him  as  a 


Art.  2.3  Fully  Unfolded  in  the  Church. 


19 


fool,  a  madman,  and  insane;  observing  frequenily  of  him, 
"Nothing  will  serve  llie  ambitions  and  insane  monk,  but  that 
lie  must  set  liimsplf  up  to  be  equal  to  the  pope  !" 

17.  But,  let  it  be  asked,  may  each  member  of  the  protestant 
church  now  claim  to  be  co-ordinate  with  the  whole,  in  the  same 
sense  with  that  in  which  we  have  just  seen  lhat  Luther  did? 
Have  the  same  thing-',  tint  is,  the  same  rights  of  conscience 
and  of  freedom  in  spirituel  things,  which  Luihcr  claimed  for  the 
proiestanis,  been  awarded  to  each  protestant  from  the  days  of 
liudier  until  now?  By  no  means.  Luther  and  the  princes  of 
Germany  claimed  exemption  from  human  creeds,  confessions 
of  faith,  church  disciplines,  etc.  Nay,  it  was  because  ihf^y 
protested  against  these,  lhat  they  were  c;dled  protestanls  !  But 
is  exemption  from  such  things  awarded  10  protestants  now  ? 
Lei  the  creeds,  catechisms,  confessions  of  faith,  constitutions, 
church  disciplines,  etc.,  under  which  Protestants  now  groan, 
testily  and  he-nr  witness.  Whence  it  is  manifest,  that  Protest- 
ants, so  called,  are  no  longer  that  from  which  they  were  at  first 
called  Protestanls.  In  travelling  backwards  from  Luther's  doc- 
trine of  co-ordination,  they  have  fallen  into  the  clerical  abyss  of 
sti6-ordinaiion  !  !  In  travelling  backivards  from  co-ordination, 
equality  and  brotherhood,  they  have  fallen  under  the  yoke  of 
subordination,  subjection,  and  spiritual  bondage .'  J 

IS.  But  what  shall  we  say  then  ?  "  Is  the  mercy  of  the 
Lord  clean  gone  forever  ? "  By  no  means;  for,  in  the  New 
Church  of  the  Lord,  true  principles,  but  dimly  seen  by  the 
reformers,  and  from  which  they  therefore  receded,  will  be  car- 
ried out  and  unfolded  in  all  their  divine  splendor.  And  that 
such  will  be  the  case,  may  he  known  from  this,  lhat  the  doctrine 
of  co-ordinaiion,  at  first  contended  for  by  Lmher,  but  afterwards 
abandoned  by  his  protestant  followers,  is  alioul  to  be  unfolded 
and  opened  up  with  all  the  heaven  contained  wiiliin  it,  in  the 
New  Church  !  And  that  such  is  really  the  case,  may  be  seen 
from  this,  that  the  Cincinnati  Convention  of  the  New  Church, 
composed  of  individual  receivers,  declares,  that  it  is  exacfli/ 
parallel  and  co-ordinate  with  the  Eastern  Convention  of  the 
New  Church,  whether  held  at  New  Fork,  Boston,  or  Philudel- 
phia,  although  composed  of  delegates  from  difTeient  congrega- 
liods  or  conventions.  (See  Precursor,  vol.  ii,  p.  11.)  And,  not 
only  so,  but  the  Philadelphia  Convention  virtually  declares  the 
same  thing,  in  relation  to  iioth  ;  and,  the  little  Springdale  Con- 
vention, (see  Declaration,  An. 2,)  hereby,  herein  and  ihroug*<out, 
declares  the  same,  in  relation  to  all  I  And  all  ihis^  while  not 
a  single  iota  of  suB-ordinaiion  has  been,  or  can  be  claimed  by 
one  from  the  other.    Who  knows  not  that  the  meeting  at  Cin- 


20 


Conclusion  of  I  he  Second  Jlilicle.       [Note  D. 


cinnali  have  Uie  smiie  right  to  call  tlieir  mceling  a  convcn'.ion, 
tliai  ilie  general  meefing.  whether  at  New  Yo  k,  or  elsewhere, 
have  lo  c.ill  their  nieeting  by  that  name?  N-iy,  it  is  evideiii, 
thai,  for  any  gootl  reason  that  can  be  shown  to  the  contrary, 
every  SDcieiy  of  tlie  New  Church  on  tiie  globe  has  the  snme 
riu-ht  lo  call  ils  mee  ing  a  convention,  anil  ihence  to  legiflalc 
f(ir  ifsc/f  accordingly,  that  those  iiave  at  Cincinnati  and  Pliila- 
delpliia. 

19.  Of  ihe  thing-!!  spoken  of  in  the  preceding  numbers  of  the 
article  under  consideration,  the  following  things  are  specially 
lecogn'ZL'd  : 

JFirsf.  'I'hat  such  as  are  the  parts,  so  is  the  whole  thence 
consiiiuied. 

Second.  That  the  power  of  the  ■evholeis  in  the  parts,  remains 
witli  them,  and  cannot  be  separated  from  them. 

7  hird.  That  spiritual  things,  spiritual  power,  or  what  is  the 
same  thing,  freedom  in  spiritual  ihinirs,  cannot,  according  lo 
Divine  order,  be  delegated  or  coraiaiiied,  that  is,  transferred 
{\<Hti  m\e  fiian  to  another. 

Forirtli.  Tliat,  because  spiritual  power  is  not  transferrable, 
therefore  ihe  power  of  the  whole  church  is  in  the  individual 
members  of  it,  remains  with  tiiem,  and  cannot  be  separated 
from  them. 

Fif'h.  'I'liat  the  dogma  which  teaches  that  individual  mem- 
bers and  distinctive  branches  of  the  church  should  be  in  suh- 
ordination  io  the  wlutJe,  necessarily  originates  from  the  false 
priixiplf,  namely,  iJjat  power  in  spiritual  things  is  transferable 
to  representatives,  equaUy  with  power  in  civil  things  ;  and, 
therefore,  that  such  dogma  is  false,  inasmuch  as  whatever  flows 
from  a  false  principle  is  false  also. 

Six  li.  That  the  lalse  principle  from  which  the  clergy  epeak, 
when  ihcy  call  themselves  spiritual  and  the  church,  is  one  and 
the  same  with  that  just  noticed  in  the  aiticle  preceding;  seeing 
that  when  they  s|iieak  thtis,  it  is  friwii  belief  that  all  the 
freedom  or  power  in  spiiiiual  things  belonging  to  the  luiiy,  is 
transferable,  and  transferred  to  their  representatives,  that  ia,  to 
the  clergy  Ihentselves !  and  thence,  ihal  as  the  whole  civil 
power  of  a  nation  may  be  coivjeived  as  if  endwdird  in  ils  repre- 
sent  ttivcs,  so  the  whole  spiritual  poicrr  of  the  church,  thus  the 
all  of  the  church  woithy  of  the  name,  is  vainly  supposed  to  be 
embodied  in  the  clergy  themselves,  and  consequently,  that  they 
iheuiselves  are  the  wiiolk  church.  Whence,  also,  it  may  be 
seen,  that  the  reason  why  ihe  clergy  go  about  to  leach  sub- 
ordinalion  to  the  whole,  is  because  they  conceive  the  zvhole  to 
be  no  other  than  themselves .' 

Seventh.  That,  the  dogmas  of  swi-ordination  lo  the  contrary 


Art.  3.] 


Concerning  Spiritual  Freedom. 


21 


iinlwithslanding,  it  is  of  Divine  order,  tliat  every  dislinctive 
meeting  or  convention  of  the  Lord's  New  Cluircli,  as  also  each 
and  hII  individvial  rei^eivers  of  the  lieaveiiiy  doctrines  thereof, 
however  different  may  he  tlie  meridians  on  which  they  stand, 
are  neverihelcss  precise/y  on  the  same  parallel  plane,  and  ex- 
actly co-ordinate  with  eai'h  oiher;  none  acknowledging  another 
superior  in  poiver  to  himself,  but  the  Lord  alone. 


NOTE  D.— ARTICLE  3. 
Chap.  L 

Concerning  Ihs  supposed  exclusive  right  of  the  clergy  to 
ordain  men  for  the  ministry. 

20.  The  order  of  Divine  order,  specially  referred  to  in  this 
article  of  the  declaration,  is  ahnnd mlly  exhibited  in  the  book  of 
Divine  Providence ;  and  especially  where  we  are  taught  the 
following  things : 

1st.  That  the  door  of  determination,  from  thinking  and  will- 
ing to  speaking  and  acting,  stands  open  with  all  who  from  rea- 
son think  and  will  according  to  the  laws  of  the  Slate. — No.  70. 

2il.  That  the  Lord,  for  the  sake  of  reception  and  conjunciion, 
wills  that  whatever  man  does  freely,  according  to  reason,  should 
appear  to  him  as  his  own,  and  this  according  to  reason  itself; 
and  thu«,  because  it  is  of  his  eteuial  happiness,  man  can  think 
and  tlietice  speak,  will  and  thence  do,  as  of  himself  from  the 
Lor-).— 77. 

3d.  That  no  one  can  be  compelled  to  think,  believe  or  love 
wliai  he  does  not  will  to  think,  believe  or  love  ;  seeinir  the  spirit 
of  man,  or  his  mind,  is  held  in  lull  libeny  of  thinking,  willing, 
believing  ami  loving;  in  which  libeny  ii  is  from  influx  from  the 
spiritual  world,  and  which  never  comoels. — 129. 

4tli.  That  when  freedom  feels  itself  touched,  or  about  to  be 
compelled,  it  dra>vs  itself  back,  as  if  into  iiself,  and,  turning 
itself  away,  looks  at  compulsion  as  its  enemy;  for  love,  which 
is  the  lii'e  of  man,  is  exasperated  and  c-iu>es  him  to  think  that 
lie  is  not  his  own,  and  tiiat  he  does  not  live  for  himself;  and 
thai  because  it  is  injurious  to  compel  men,  in  iliijigs  relating  to 
divine  worship,  by  tlireais,  censure,  or  punishmeui,  tiierefore  it 
is  that  /he  /  ord  guar  !s  freedom  wilk  7nan  as  man  guards  the 
apple  of  his  eye. — (Comi^are  u.  136. 

nih.  That  they  who  suffer  themselves  to  be  compelled  in  the 


22 


Concerning  Spirilual  Freedom. 


Kole  D. 


things  of  religion  are  from  popish  nations,  and  willi  those  with 
whom  the  all  of  worship  is  exiernal ;  and  thai  those,  and  those 
only,  may  be  compelled  who  are  in  exiernal  worship  alone. — 136. 

6th.  '1  hat  in  the  worship  of  those  whose  internal  is  to  think 
and  will  thai  lo  wiiich  the  external  is  compelled,  there  is  no 
internal  ?  that  these  are  they  who  worship  living  and  dead  men, 
and  consequently  idols;  and  that  co?n/;p//ei/ worship  is  corpo- 
real, inanimale,  obscure  and  sad  ivorskip;  but  ilvat  free  wor- 
ship is  spiritual,  living,  lucid  nnd  glad  worsliip. — 137. 

7th.  'I'hat  man  is  led  and  lanijlu  by  the  Lord  alone,  and  by 
the  Lord  alone  through  heaven  and  from  it;  that  man  is  led  by 
the  Lord  alone  by  influx,  and  laught  by  illustration  ;  that  lo  be 
taught  by  the  Lord  alone  by  illustration,  is  to  he  taught  by  the 
Word,  tloctrine,  and  preaching  from  it,  thus  immediately  from 
Himself  alone — and  lhat  man  is  led  and  taught  by  the  Lord  ia 
externals  in  ail  appearance  as  of  himself. — 154. 

8th.  Thai  unless  man  disposed  of  all  things  which  are  of  his 
function  and  life,  as  of  his  own  prudence,  lie  could  not  be  led 
and  disposed  by  the  Divine  Providence  ;  but  would  be  as  one 
stripped  of  the  two  families,  liberty  and  rationality. — (Com- 
pare n.  2J0,  176,  186,  vOO.) 

9th.  'I'hat  they  to  whom  it  was  given  to  feel  as  if  they  were 
led  by  others,  burned  with  anger  until  they  became  as  out  of 
their  right  mind  ;  and  (hat  they  said,  that  to  be  thus  tied  was  to 
be  tied  as  to  ihe  life,  and  which,  they  alleged,  was  more  intoler- 
able than  to  he  lied  as  to  the  body. 

10th.  That  each  man  has  his  place  and  stale,  distinct  from 
the  state  of  others  ;  and  lhat  from  the  common  stork  he  draws 
fiis  task,  according  lojiis  situation,  function,  and  necessity,  al- 
togeihei  like  each  thing  in  the  human  body. — 164. 

21.  But,  as  touching  the  few  articles  just  adduced  from  the 
laws  of  Divine  Providence,  or  Divine  Order,*  it  is  specially 
worthy  of  nniice,  thai  they  are,  eacli  and  all,  in  direct  opposi- 
tion to  that  pernicious  dogma,  namely,  that  every  n)ember  of 
the  church  should  cause  his  preconceived  opinions  to  subuiil  lo 
clerical  aulhoriti/  ;  as  well  as  to  that  which  teaches,  that  the 
members  of  the  church  should  submit  to  be  led  and  governed 
by  and  from  the  judicial  determination  of  ecclesiastics,  in 
Synod,  Council,  Conjerence,  or  Convention  assembled.  And, 
contrariwise,  that  the  articles  in  question  are  at  perfect  peace 
and  in  harmony  widi  the  soul  cheering  sentime'it,  nnmely,  ihat 
every  distinctive  sociely,  yea,  every  individual  member  *)f  the 


•  Tbe  Lord  is  proridcnce,  as  God  is  order.   (Sec  D,  P.,  n,  331.) 


Art.  3.] 


Claims  of  the  Clergy. 


23 


New  Cliuicli  of  the  Ldrtl,  may  lead,  govern  and  direct  him- 
self, as  of  himself — yea,  as  of  his  own  prudence,  from  the 
"Word  alone  ;  thus  from  itie  L()r{J  himself. 

22.  Is  it  not  of  Divine  Order,  that,  in  relation  to  the  tilings 
of  the  cluirch,  man  should  he  left  in  perfect  freedom  and  liberty 
so  that  from  and  according  lo  his  own  reason  or  ral^on^lity 
he  might  lead  and'gnvern  himself,  as  of  himself,  from  the  Lord? 
Is  it  ?iol  of  Divine  Order,  that  ihe  freedom  of  man,  in  relation 
to  the  things  of  the  church,  and  which  are  all  spiritual,  shonld 
not  he  violated,  by  means  of  ecclesiastical  laws  involving  //jrea/- 
ening,  censiite,  contempt  or  penance,  as  is  the  case  in  popish 
nations  ?  Is  it  not  of  Divine  Order,  that  man  should  be  et  'rnaily 
happy  ;  and  is  it  not  of  his  eternal  liappiness,  thai,  in  every 
thing  pertaining  thereto,  he  shotdd  be  left  in  perfect  freedom 
to  think  and  speak,  tvill  and  do,  as  of  himself  from  the  Lord? 
Nay,  rather,  according  to  the  things  adduced,  n.  20,  such  being 
of  the  very  things  which  Divine  Order  operates,  it  will  follow, 
that  every  unholy  ecdesiasticiil  claim,  by  whomsoever  preferred, 
calcrdated  in  iis  bearing  and  tendency,  to  disturb,  touch,  thwart, 
violate,  or  compel  th:U  freedom  in  spiritual  things,  awarded  to 
man,  by  which  to  govern  himself  from  the  Word,  thus  from  the 
Lord  himself,  stands  in  direct  opposition  and  hostility  to  Divine 
Order  itself! 

24.  That  the  claim  of  the  clergy,  in  regard  to  the  subject  of 
their  supposed  rigliis,  is  incompatible  with  the  freedcim  of  the 
man  of  the  church  in  spiritual  tilings,  may  be  seen  from  many 
things,  anil  first,  froiri  this,  that  if  it  be  contrary  to  order  to  preach 
without  beifig  tlieieirnto  ordained,  and,  if  tiie  right  of  ordination 
be  exclusively  vested  in  the  clergy,  and,  consequently,  lire  right 
of  wiihhohlinir  ordination  according  to  the  council  of  their  will, 
then  the  inevitable  restdt  will  be,  that  the  freedom  of  the  meti 
of  the  church  will  not  only  be  totiched,  disturbed  and  thwarted, 
but  also  in  such  soit,  thai  they  will  necessarily  remain  utterly 
unable  to  ortjanize  themselves  otherwise  than  agreeably'to  the 
will  and  prudence  of  the  cleri;y — that  is,  unable,  or  not  free,  to 
govern  themselves  as  of  iheir  own  will  and  prudence,  from  the 
Word — ihtis  from  the  Lord  alone.  And  that  such  must  needs 
be  the  inevitable  result,  nmy  be  seen  from  this,  that  the  church 
in  tlie  complex  (as  will  be  granted  by  all)  is  composed  of  dis- 
liiu live  branches,  called  societies  congregations,  orconvention.s 
each  of  wlii(;h  is  also  a  church  ;  and  that  whatever  obtains  and 
is  true  in  relation  to  the  whole,  is  from  no  other  cause  thatt 
because  the  same  thing  ob'ains,  and  is  true  in  relation  to  each 
distinctive  jiari ;  consequently,  il  teaching  ministers  are  indis- 
pensably necessary  to  the  peifect  organization  cf  the  church  in 


24 


Concerning  Sjnrilttal  Freedom  [Note  D. 


the  complex  or  general,  it  is  because  tliey  are  so  in  relotion  to 
each  ciisiinciive  briincli  of  it.  Bui  Ironi  tliis  it  may  be  seen, 
that  to  grant  lliat  the  right  or  power  to  forbid  men  to  exercise 
themselves  as  teaching  mimsiers  is  vested  in  the  clergy,  [and 
which,  as  bi-foie  staled,  it  musi  be,  if  the  ri  hi  of  oidinadon, 
wiihoui  which  none  may  preach,  is  vested  in  ihein,J  is  ih  ;  very 
same  as  Ingram  lhai  the  clergy  have  the  right  lo  wiibhold  from 
the  church  her  leaching  minister,  iier  appointed  organ  or  instru- 
mem  by  which  to  draw  f)om  the  common  slO(k,  acconling  to 
his  own  peculiar  wants  and  necessities,  her  liglil  her  life,  j  ea 
Jier  TASK  and  all  her  uses;  thus,  thai  the  clergy  possess  the 
light  to  wiihhold  from  the  church  wliat  she  may  justly  con- 
cieve  indispen^ably  necessary  lo  her  spiritnal  organization  and 
liience  existence  ! 

25.  To  giant  lhai  lite  rioht  of  forbidding  men  to  cast  out 
devils  in  lite  name  of  the  Lord  is  vested  in  the  clergy,  is  vir- 
tually to  grant  that  the  clergy  may  again  (as  tliey  did  in  the 
days  of  anii-chrisi)  take  ihe  church  and  bind  Iter  iiand  and  foot, 
and  east  her  into  duii  r  darkness,  theie  to  remain,  at  least  till 
com,^elled  lo  accept  one  of  thtir  own  liody  as  her  teaching 
minister !  or  what  is  the  same  ibinfj,  uniil  she  becomes  willing 
to  accept  of  one,  who,  from  his  slavish  conforniiiy  in  squaring 
himself  lip  to  the  clerical  standard — from  his  tamely  submiiiiiig 
to  draw  his  TASK  from  tlie  clerical  stock,  anil  thence  (mm  his 
being  a  fit  nrffan  lliroiiuh  whom  the  church  migiit  also  i>e  in- 
diieed  to  draw  from  tlic  seme  stork,  rather  man  fioin  the  common 
stock,  liie  Divine  truths  of  liie  VVord, — had  become  a  fit  subject 
ol  and  for  clerical  ordination  J 

56.  To  grant  that  the  liyht  lo  forbid  men  to  prophecy  in  the 
name  of  the  Lord  is  vested  in  the  clergy,  is  the  same  as  to  grant 
that  the  cleriy  has  the  right  lo  lay  the  whole  church  under  a 
papal  interdict !  Who  caiinolsee,  that  for  the  clergy  to  assume 
the  right  and  power  to  forbid  a  man  to  exercise  himself  as  a 
minister  of  the  gospel,  in  a  distinctive  church,  and  c?^peci;dly, 
when  the  ntembers  tlicicof  have  duly  appointed  him  to  that 
office,  is  virittaily  lo  assume  the  right  and  p<)v\er  to  shut  up  the 
door  ol  the  church,  and  with  this,  to  forbid  the  worship  of  God 
iheiein  ^  Hut  what  is  all  ibis,  more  or  less,  thai'  a  pajxil  inter- 
dict, siiiiilar  to  those  issued  by  popes,  to  nidnilesi  their  scat, 
their  power,  and  their  great  atithotity  ? 

27.  Htit  if  any  man  inquire  into  the  grounds  of  the  unholy 
claim  under  consideranon,  b  t  him  know,  in  the  fiisi  place,  that 
ancient  prelates  ailegcil,  that  because  iheie  was  miylity  danger 
to  be  apprelieiided  fiom  devouring  wolves  op, ting  in  o  li  e  llock 
of  Christ,  tlierefore,  it  behooved  ihtui  [wiio  of  toursc  were  the 


Art.  3.]  Clerical  Claims  to  Superiorili/. 


25 


true  slipplierds!]  lo  forbid  every  man  to  exercise  himself  as  a 
teachiiiif  minister,  lii)\vever  appointed  by  ilie  cliiireli  of  which 
he  was  a  meinlier;  and  'o  iiisiall,  in  tlie  room  and  stead  of  such, 
their  own  true  spiritual  sons: — and,  in  the  second  place,  that 
modErn  prelates  allesre,  that  because  the.  spiritual  things  of  the 
church  are  hoi  u  the  ministerial  office  holi/,  and  the  right  of 
ordination  holy,  it  would  therefore  be  clearly  contrary  !o  order 
for  the  laity  lo  minister  in  holy  things!  (See  Precuisor,  vol.  iii, 
p.  74,  first  column,  near  the  bottom.)  But,  whether  of  the 
allegations  or  aro;uments,  of  the  ancients  or  moderns,  as  touching 
the  grounds  of  tiie  claim  in  question,  ate  the  most  masculine 
and  manly,  and  of  the  greatest  weight,  let  stich  inquirer  judge 
for  himself. 

28.  But  that  the  ptinciple  giving  rise  to  such  allegations  or 
arguments  (see  the  last  arti(  le)  may  be  exposed  in  its  native 
deformity,  let  it  be  known,  that  in  the  reign  of  Antichrist,  "As 
a  superstitious  spirit  spread,  ecclesiastics  were  regarded  as 
beings  of  a  superior  species  to  the  profane  laity ,  whom  it  would 
be  impious  lo  try  by  the  same  laws,  or  make  sui-ject  to  the 
same  punishmeiU;" — that  "What  was  at  first  granted  out  of 
respect,  was  afterwards  claimed  as  a  right;  and  thence  that  the 
clergy  not  only  asserted  the  privileges  of  their  own  order  with 
zeal,  but  made  continual  encroachments  upon  those  of  the  laity;" 
— that  "The  people  tamely  transferred  to  the  clergy  all  that 
submission  and  reverence  whicli  they  had  been  accustomed  to 
yield  to  the  pagan  piiests,  whom  tliey  had  deserted;" — that 
they  deemed  their  [)ersons  equally  sacred  with  their  functions; 
and  that  "On  the  other  hand,  the  clergy  were  never  bhnd  to  the 
advantages  accruing  to  themselves,  their  digniiies  and  honors, 
which  the  weakness  and  vulgar  prejudices  of  the  laity  awarded 
to  them."  (Robertson's  Charles  V,  pages  138,  139,  33.  31.) 
For,  who  is  he  that  can  dotiht  for  a  moment,  that  that  principle, 
flowing  immediately  from  the  love  of  self  and  liie  lust  of  do- 
minion, and  which  is,  that  the  clergy  are  an  order,  a  race,  and 
a  succession  of  beings  superior  to  the  profane  laity;  that  their 
persons  and  functions  are  eq\ially  sacred  and  holy;  and  that  the 
laiiy  shotdd  therefore  translcr  to  them  all  that  submission  and 
reverence  which  was  ever  yielded  to  pagan  piiests, — is  the  very 
principle  itself  from  wiiich  prelates,  whether  ancient  or  modern, 
claim  the  right  lo  speak  of  the  laity,  as  being  pr(fane,  and 
thence  as  being  unfit  to  choose  and  ordain  their  own  ministers, 
or,  which  is  the  same  thing,  to  minister  in  holy  things,  which 
involve  in  lliem  the  ordination  of  their  leaching  ministers?  ' 

29.  But  because  our  business  is  more  with  the  moderns  than 
with  the  ancients,  therefore,  by  relerring  to  the  allegation  or 

3 


26  Exclusive  Right  of  Ordination.  [NoteD, 


argument  attributed  to  modern  prelates,  n.  27,  it  may  be  seen 
in  a  monieni,  ilial  the  conr-lusion  is  by  no  means  t!ie  legitimate 
offspring  of  ilie  premise  adduced;  and  that  to  constitute  it  other 
than  a  bastard  conclusion,  it  were  necessary  first  to  show,  that 
the  laiiy  are  not  allowed  lo  draw  their  task  from  the  common 
stock,  as  are  ihe  clergy;  th-at  tlie  laity  are  noi  disciples  of  the 
Lord,  as  are  the  clergy;  and  tiietefore,  that  the  iaiiy  are  not  at 
all  the  brethren  of  the  clergy,  thus  that  the  laity  are  not  mem- 
bers of  the  same  body  with  the  clergy;  and  therefore,  that  the 
laity  are  properly  neither  members  nor  men  of  ilie  cluircli!  and, 
finally,  that  the  laity  are  utterly  profane  and  material,  while  the 
cleigy  are  altogether  holi/  and  spiriliial!  Had  these  things  all 
been  duly  denumstisted  in  the  first  place,  then  the  argument 
in  question,  like  the  golden  tripod  of  the  ancients,  would  have 
had  iliree  supporters;  nay,  it  might  in  such  case  have  been  ex- 
hibited in  due  syllogistic  form,  as  follows: 

"  I'he  spiiiiual  things  of  the  church  are  holy,  the  ministerial 
office  is  holy,  and  the  right  of  ordination  is  holy; 

"But  the  laity,  not  being  members  of  the  Lord's  body,  not 
being  brethren,  not  being  members  of  the  church,  et  cetera,  are 
utterly  profane  and  unholy; 

"Therefore,  it  is  clearlj  contrary  to  order  for  the  laity  to 
administer  the  rite  of  ordina'ion." 

But,  as  the  case  now  stands,  the  argument  in  question  is  but 
a  sophistical  enlhymeme,  exhibiting  '■'an  inference  drawn  from 
nothing,  and  a  conclusion  without  a  leg  to  stand  upon." 

30.  Then  let  it  be  known,  yea,  and  remembered,  that  when 
the  clergy  divide  ihe  men  of  the  church  into  two  such  parts  or 
bodies,  so  as  ihai  ihemselves  may  be  of  one  body,  and  all  the 
rest  (to  be  called  the  laity)  of  another  body,  and  thence  go  about 
to  leach  that  the  body  of  the  clergy  is  spirit,  spiritual  //o/y, 
and  that  the  body  of  the  Vaity  is  matter,  material  and  profane, 
and  this  to  such  degree  that  a  memlier  of  the  former  body  may 
say  to  one  of  the  latter,  Stand  back!  come  not  near!  to  spirit- 
ual and  holy  ihincs,  for  I  am  more  holy  than  thou," — and 
thence  also,  in  accordance  with  such  division  and  such  leaching, 
divide  the  ihiugs  of  ihe  church  into  spirital  and  temporal,  or 
ecclesiastical  and  civil — (see  .louinal  of  Pioccedings  of  the 
Middle  Convention,  Oct.  IS,  1840,  pai.'e  4,  n.  35,) — and  appro- 
priate ilie  former  things  or  duties  to  themselves,  and  the  l«iter 
to  ihe  profane  laity,  viz;  wiien  ihe  clergy  have  succeeded  in  bring- 
ing to  pa>s  such  a  state  of  ihings,  or  have  even  manifested  a  desire 
that  such  a  state  of  things  should  exist  in  the  church,  then  have 
they  also  manifested  in  the  sight  of  heaven,  and  in  llie  si<;ht  of 
all  to  whom  the  light  of  heaven  has  reached,  that  they  have 


Art.  3.]      Jntichristian  Terms,  Distinctions,  etc.  .  27 


neither  part  nor  inlieritance  in  the  true  nhurch  of  the  living  God, 
the  Lord's  body,  which  they  have  tlnis  divided  and  rent  asunder; 
and  from  vviiich  they  have'separated  liiemseives,  into  a  body  of 
their  own,  loo  proud  to  acknowledge  members  of  the  Lord's 
body  as  members  of  it!— then  have  they  manifested  themselves 
to  be,  not  the  ministers  of  Christ,  or  of  Ciirisl's  body  or  church, 
the  members  of  wiiich  are  al'  brethren,  mutual  companions,  fel- 
low helpers  and  of  ONE  BODY;  but  ministers  of  Antichrist, 
amongst  whom  the  strife  has  ever  been,  who  should  be  tho 
greate^st  and  of  the  highest  degree,  and  therefore,  lo  have 
drunken  deep  of  the  golden  cup  of  the  ivoman  of  Babylon,  of 
which  the  nations  have  drunken  and  are  mud! 

31.  Then,  be  it  farther  known,  tliat  to  conceive  that  the  mea 
of  the  New  Church  of  llie  Lord  are  to  be  outwardhj  distin- 
guished into  clergy  and  laily—^he  inmev  ecclesiastical,  and 
the  latter  ciyi7— the  former  holy,  and  the  latter  profane— ihe 
former  spiritual,  and  ttte  latter  natural— or  (if  you  please)  the 
former  internal,  rnd  the  latter  external — is  only  to  conceive  a 
conception,  not  from  love  to  the  Lord  and  charity  towards  the 
neighbor,  thus  from  the  Lord  himself,  but  from  the  love  of  self 
and''lust  of  dominion  thence,  thus  from  the  devil  himself.  And, 
not  only  so.  hut  tipcauoo  it  is  a  conception  not  from  Christ  and 
his  ministers,  but  from  .Antichrist  and  his  ministers;  therefore, 
it  is  a  conception  which,  however,  whenever  and  wherei'er 
brought  10  birth  and  maturity,  has  always  been  productive  of 
most  direful  instruments  of  torture  to  the  church — the  hilts  of 
which  never  fa  I  to  be  found  at  Home! 

3i.  But  all  auiichristian  conceptions — (involving  such  things 
or  terms  as  secular,  temporal,  civil,  people,  profane,  natural, 
et  cetera,  as  appropriate  to  one  outward  class  of  ilie  men  of  the 
church,  rather  than  to  another,  the  aulhorily  for  which  terms, 
and  the  outward  distinction  thence  flowing,  is  not  to  be  found 
on  this  side  of  Babylon) — to  the  contrary  notwithstanding,  ft 
is  a  faithful  doctrine  and  worthy  the  acceptation  of  all,  and  spe- 
cially of  every  New  Church  inan,  namely,  that  the  highest  de- 
gree to  which  any  man  may  in  this  life  arrive,  is  to  tlie  spiritual- 
naturcd degree;  and  that,  as  touching  the  spiritual  degree  itself, 
or  the  celestial  contained  within  it,  however  either  may  be 
opened  in  a  man,  yet  it  is  not  permitted  that  he  should  enter 
either  while  in  the  body;  but  thai  the  Lord  will  let  every  man 
into  the  celestial  or  spiritual  degrees  in  the  life  to  come,  accord- 
ing as  they  have  become  opened  within  him  in  this  life. 
Wherefore  it  manifestly  follows,  that  no  man  may  outwardly 
assume  the  spiritual  degree  lo  the  exclusion  of  the  natural 
degree,  while  in  the  body,  without  being  actuated  by  arrogance 


28 


Exclusive  Eight  of  Ordination.        [Note  D, 


and  presumption  J  Whence  it  also  follows,  that  because  the 
natufiil  degree  is  common  to  all  men  of  the  ehnrch,  however 
spiriliial  some  mny  be  conceived  to  be,  tlierefore  no  man  caa 
claim  the  exclusive  right  to  perform  duties,  which,  from  their 
supposed  spirituality,  are  thence  supposed  to  belong  to  the 
spiritual  degree  exclusively;  especially  seeing,  that  he  who 
thus  claims,  does  nothing  less  than  claim  to  be  in  the  spir- 
itual degree  exclusively,  and  thence,  as  before  stated,  does 
nothing  more  than  betray  his  arrogance  and  |ue>umplion.  Nay, 
froni  the  preceding  considerations,  it  farther  follows,  that  in  the 
New  Cliurch  of  the  Lord,  there  never  can  be  such  things  as 
exclusive  rights,  exclusive  privileges,  exclusive  prerogatives, 
etc.,  awarded  to  any  man  or  class  of  men,  whereby  to  perforin 
any  duty  or  use  in  the  church  whatever.  But,  contrary  wise, 
New  Church  men  knowing  that  while  in  this  life  each  and  all 
are  in  the  natural  degree,  thus  that  all  are  in  and  of  a  COM- 
MON DEGREE,  they  will,  as  a  ronsi  quence,  after  the  exHm- 
ple  of  the  God-blessed  brotherhood  of  old,  "hold  all  things" 
that  is,  every  right,  power,  preroeaiive,  funciion,  office,  duty 
and  use  in  the  church,  "IN  COMMON!"  and  thus,  in  the 
genuine  sense,  "no  man  tvill  have  ought  that  he  calls  his 
own;"  and  for  this  good  reason,  namely,  that  no  j/enuine  New 
Church  man  will  ''hold  on"  to  supposed  exclusive  rigin..,  priv- 
ileges, prerogatives,  etc.,  that  might  have  been  awaided  to  him 
under  and  according  to  ecclesiastical  laws,  usages  and  customs 
existing  in  the  consummated  chuich. 

33.  Nevertheless,  it  will  be  remembered,  that  Ananias  and 
Sapphira  his  wife,  while  they  aspired  to  the  holy  brotherhood 
of  the  Apostolic  church  on  the  one  hand,  kept  back  with  the 
other,  a  pait  of  the  price  of  the  possession  that  was  exclusively 
awaided  to  them  under  the  laws  and  ordinances  by  which  the 
Jewish  economy  was  established.  Whence  it  shotdd  by  no 
means  be  accounted  a  strange  thing,  if  instances  should  occur, 
in  the  Lord's  New  Church,  justly  represented  by  that  cir^nm- 
slance, — and  thence,  also,  susceptible  of  being  remarkably  illus- 
trated by  it.  Nay,  what  is  the  history  of  Ananias  and  his  wife 
Sapphira,  but  a  painting,  to  the  life,  representing  clergymen  of 
the  Old  Church  who  aspire  to  the  holy  brotherhood  of  the  New, 
and  who,  after  making  some  inconsiderable  sacritice  to  the 
common  stock,  keep  back  the  greater  part  of  the  piice? — that  is, 
keep  back  the  principle  things  (though  in  another  form)  which 
have  been  awarded  exclusively  to  them  by  the  ecclesiastical 
laws  of  the  Old  Church?  What  is  the  holding  on  of  such  cler- 
gymen to  the  r  ght  of  ordination  and  admission  into  the  priest- 
hood, the  right  of  determining  their  own  duties,  and,  in  a  word. 


Art.  3.3   Self-creating  and  Self-constiluling  Ordination.  29 


the  right  of  being  exalted  by  means  of  degrees  of  oiitwnrd  dig- 
niiy,  but  tlie  holding  on  to  tiie  greater  p;irt  of  the  priec  of  all 
that  they  could  reasonably  expect  should  have  been  exchaioehj 
awarded  to  them  by  the  Old  Ciiuich,  had  ihey  continued  there- 
in? But,  let  all  such  clergymen  look  well  to  the  fate  of  Ananias 
and  his  wile,  and  repent,  lest  they  also  full  down,  not  as  these 
did,  into  natural  death,  but  into  spiritual  dealli,  and  thence 
becDming  "«s  hmUi  in  the  purched  places  of  the  ivilderness, 
shall  not  be  able  to  see  when  good  comelh.'" 

34.  But,  from  tlie  tliin<:s  adduced  in  llie  articles  immediately 
preceding,  it  becomes  manifest,  that  in  the  New  Church  every 
right,  duty,  function  and  use  pertaining  to  the  church  must 
needs  be  common  to  all  com|iosing  that /^/•o//ie;7(00(/;  and  there- 
fore, that  there  is  nothing  pertaining  to  the  church  which  can 
be  said  exclusively  to  belong  to  any  man  or  class  of  men  there- 
in:— .nid  this  in  a  sense  precisely  similar  with  its  being  sai(], 
that  "The  right  of  holding  any  office  whatever  in  the  State  is 
common  to  eaoh  and  every  citizen  belonging  to  it;"  that  is,  that 
there  are  no  men  nor  classes  of  men  amongst  us,  who  possess 
exclusive  privileges,  in  regard  to  holding  offices  and  dignities, 
as  in  England  and  other  places.*  And,  therefore,  the  conclu- 
sion comes  out  very  clearly,  namely,  that  the  right  of  ?ppoint- 
ing  and  ordaining  men  into  the  ministerial  office  belongs  to  each 
and  every  member  of  the  church  alike,  and  in  common;  and, 
consequently,  ihat  the  claim  of  the  clergy  to  that  right  EX- 
CLUSIVELY, is  utterly  untenable  and  without  ground  or 
foundation! 

35.  But,  will  the  clergy  still  hold  on  to  their  supposed  exclu- 
sive rights?  Will  nothing  from  revelation  or  reason  cause  them 
to  let  go  their  unhallowed  gripe?  Do  they  seem  to  be  aware, 
that  by  contending  that  the  ordaining  power  is  exclusively  vested 
in  their  own  body,  and  not  in  common  with  the  men  of  the 
church,  they  must  of  necessity  also  contend,  either  that  they 
have  ordained  themselves, — thus  that  they  are  a  self-created  and 
sef-constifuled  boily  or  hierarchy,  and  consequently,  that  they 
are  they  spoken  of  by  Habakkuk,  say  ing,  "Their  judgment  and 
their  dignity  proceedeth  from  themselves;"  (chap,  i,  ver.  9;) — . 
or,  ihal  they  have  been  ordained  by  the  lineal  descendants  and 
successors  of  the  clerical  hierarchy  of  Home — thus  that  they  are 
essentially  of  that  hierarchy,  and  not  ministers  of  the  New 
Church  of  the  Lord,  by  any  means? 

36.  What  shall  we  say  then?    Verily,  we  say,  let  those  who 


*  Tlie  caxe  here  aHdiiced  as  illuslrative,  is  ralher  as  it  ought  to  be,  than  a» 
it  really  is  in  the  UniltU  States,  negro  slavery  being  cou^i(ie^ecl. 

3* 


30 


Exclusive  Eight  of  Ordination. 


[NoteD, 


have  ordained  themselves,  and  whose  judgment  and  dignity  by 
consequence  proceed  from  themselves,  along  with  those  who 
are  ordained  by  the  lineal  descendants  of  the  hierarchy  of  Rome, 
and  whose  jiidgmenl  and  dignity  proceed  in  a  riiiht  line  from 
The  Lady  of  Kingdoms,  {ha.  xlvii.  5.)  scofTatthe  idea  of  ordina- 
tion as  being  conferred  by  what  they  call  the  profane  laity. 
But  shall  a  minister  of  tlie  Lord's  New  Church  scoff  at  the 
idea  of  ordination  as  conferred  by  the  members  of  the  church  in 
common,  especially  when  he  knows  that  iiis  own  ordination 
was  originally  from  no  other  source?  Shall  he  scoff,  when  he 
knows  that  the  best  argument  which  can  be  adduced  to  show 
that  the  ladder,  by  means  of  which  the  clergy  of  the  New  Church 
have  become  elevated  so  as  to  be  the  clergy,  should  now  be 
kicked  aside,  is  an  argument  altogether  without  either  weight 
or  force?  Nay,  that  all  may  see  thai  it  is  desiiiuie  of  foice,  it 
is  but  necessaiy  to  see  it  staled.  It  is  this: — "It  was  necessary, 
and  therefore  right,  for  the  laity,  in  the  first  place,  to  ordain  the 
clergy;  but  this  being  done,  that  right  no  longer  exists,  the  cir- 
cumstance being  altered,  ami  the  necessity  removed!"  (See  the 
Precursor,  vol.  ii,  p.  322,  first  column,  n.  4.)  Nevertheless,  if 
any  man  should  be  inclined  to  think  that  there  is  force  in  the 
argument  just  stared,  such  man,  doubtless,  will  consider  the 
popish  argument  followiiisr  of  force  and  pith  also,  namely: — 
When  the  pope  was  told  that  the  demeanor  of  his  holiness  was 
altogether  different  from  what  it  was  when  he  was  a  poor  hum- 
ble monk,  his  argument  against  this  insinuating  re[)roof  was  as 
follows:  "When  I  was  looking  (or  the  keys  of  St.  Peter,  it  was 
necessary,  and  ihetefore  right  for  me  to  stoop;  but  having  found 
them,  it  is  not  riijlit  in  me  to  stoop  now,  the  circumstance  being 
altered,  and  the  necessity  removed!"  But  every  wise  man 
knows,  that  "Lowliness  is  young  ambition's  ladder,  whereto 
the  climber  upward  turns  his  face;  but  when  he  once  attains 
the  Inpmost  round,  he  then  unto  the  ladder  turns  his  back,  looks 
to  the  clouds,  scorning  the  base  degrees  by  which  he  did  ascend." 
Every  wise  man  knows,  that  every  tyrant  has  a  design  upon 
the  species;  that  each  one  climbs  if  possible  to  a  crown,  and 
this  by  means  of  the  people  themselves  as  his  subservient 
ladder;  and  that,  when  his  object  is  gained^  he  is  ihe  first  to 
kick  aside  the  l.tdder  as  a  thing  of  nouiihi  in  itself.  Whence  it 
bec(m\es  manifest,  that  the  above  (said  to  be  an  argumem)  is 
Utlcilv  void  Hud  t)UL'alO''y,  and  therefore  ran  appeal  of  force  (o 
none.  cx.e|)iin<:  such  as  are  dazzled  and  delighted  with  the 
Jia^lies  of  ar'jilrarii  poiver. 

37.  The  nuire  truth  is  confirme  I,  the  more  will  its  enemies 
hate  and  oppose  it.    The  brighter  the  evidence  to  the  lover  of 


Art.  3.]         Aaron's  Rod  Lost  in  Babylon. 


3] 


trull),  the  darker  and  more  doufitful  it  is  to  those  in  the  false 
from  the  love  of  self  and  the  lust  of  dominion;  and  liiis,  because 
it  is  more  pointedly  against  ail  such.  The  case  being  such, 
the  question  is,  shall  we  therefore  omit  to  confirm  and  illustrate, 
as  far  as  possible,  the  truth  of  the  docliine  in  relation  to  the 
right  of  ordination  as  being  vested  and  given  with  the  men  of 
the  church,  and  held  by  them  jointly  and  in  common,  merely 
because  it  is  dark,  doubtful,  hateful  and  abhorrent  to  the  clergy 
of  the  consummated  church?  or,  because  the  truth  of  the  doc- 
trine in  questioi\  is  abhorrent  to  all  of  the  clergy,  who,  having 
once  received  ordination  at  the  hands  of  the  laity,  have  thence 
converted  it  into  a  crown — '■'the  croivn  of  their  pride" — and 
who,  intoxicated  with  pride,  convert  themselves  into  "/Ae 
drunkards  of  Ephraim?"  (Isa.  xxviii,  1,  3,  4;) — who,  after  the 
example  of  the  ancient  kings  of  Hungary,  wherein  they  taught 
that  the  golden  crown  worn  by  them  fell  down  from  heaven 
and  conferred  an  undoubted  tight  to  the  throne  on  all  who  suc- 
cessively wore  it,  teach  also,  that  their  crown  of  pride,  the 
golden  croivn  of  ordination,  fell  down  from  heaven  through  a 
succession  of  ordaining  ministers,  thus  through  the  priestly 
succession,  and  conferred  an  undoubted  and  an  exclusive  right 
to  a  seat,  [throne,]  to  power,  and  to  great  authority  over  the 
laity,  to  all  who  wore  it,  that  is,  to  all  the  clergy?  A  Socrates 
could  say,  "No  man  is  to  be  preferred  to  the  truth."  And  shall 
a  man  of  the  New  Church  of  the  Lord  fear  to  confirm  and  illus- 
trate the  truth?  Shall  the  contempt  of families  terrify  him,  so 
that  he  must  keep  silence,  and  not  go  out  at  the  door?  (Job, 
xxxi,  34.)  Whence  it  is  asked,  have  the  clergy  duly  consider- 
ed, thai  in  the  captivity  of  Israel  the  rod  of  Aaron,  which  ersf 
had  budded,  blossomed  and  yielded  almonds,  that  celebrated 
insignia  of  the  priesthood  was  buried  and  lost  in  the  mire  of  the 
streets  of  Babylon?  and  the  priestly  Urim  and  T/iummim, 
the  sacred  fire  of  the  aitar,  the  cloud,  the  ark,  along  with  the 
whole  machinery  of  the  representative  priesthood,  being  ceased, 
that  the  priesthood  itself  must  of  necessity  have  ceased  also, 
as  must  an  effect  when  the  cause  is  removed?  Have  they  duly 
considered,  that  the  Jewish  priesthood  did  virtually  cease  from 
the  time  of  the  Jewish  captivity? — that,  after  that  time,  Jewish 
priests  were  nothing  more  than  civil  rulers,  under  those  who 
held  the  nation  in  subjection,  and  that  they  were  appointfd  and 

deposed  according  to  the  caprice  of  their  tyrannical  masters?  

that  it  was  not  permitted  to  tlie  priesthood  to  have  the  sacred 
vesture  at  their  own  disposal?  and  that  the  sacred  unction 
whereby  priests  were  anointed,  consecrated  and  externally  or- 
dained, according  to  the  law  of  Mose.s,  was  utterly  abolished? 


32 


Exclusive  Right  of  Ordination.        [Note  D, 


Have  the  clergy  of  the  consummaled  cluircli  duly  considered, 
that  Irom  and  after  the  Bdliy Ionian  capiiviiy.  synagogues  or 
places  of  worsliip  were  built  and  established  throughout  Jewry, 
in  which  priests,  as  such,  never  officiated?  and  that  notvviih- 
Etanding  their  sanctimonious  demeanor,  whence  they  obtained 
the  appellation  of  whited  sepuhhers,  the  temple,  wiierein  it  was 
designed  thai  tliey  should  olhciate,  became  a  marliel-house  for 
the  sale  of  beasts,  and  a  house  for  money  changers  and  other 
traders,  or  rather,  as  the  Lord  himself  calls  it,  "«  den  of  t/iieves?" 
Or,  to  sum  up  all  in  a  word,  have  they  duly  considereil,  that  from 
and  after  the  ministry  of  the  Lord  while  in  the  world,  the  priest- 
hood, not  only  fioni  lierediiary  descent,  hut  also  Tor  lil'i',  [)ecame 
utterly  abolished?  {See  Uusebiiis,  pp.  28  to  60,  and  Glcig,  vol. 
ii,  pp'.  120  to  140.) 

3S.  Hill  if  the  clergy  have  duly  considered  the  thinjrs  sug- 
gested in  the  article  just  preceiling.  ihey  must  needs  have  turned 
their  eyes  in  another  direction  than  to  the  line  or  order  of  the 
Jewish  priesthood,  as  that  through  which  their  supposed 
heaven-descended  crown  has  been  transmitted  to  them.  Such 
being  the  case,  it  is  then  asked,  with  emphasis.  Through  ivhat 
line  or  succession  of  ordaining  ministers  do  thi'y  allege  has 
descended  the  crown  in  question — that  crown  which  confers  an 
undoubted  right  to  all  who  wear  it  to  teach,  preach,  reign  and 
rule'/  Is  it  not  manifest,  that  because  they  conceive  that  or- 
dination descends  in  a  successive  line  from  one  ordaining  minis- 
ter down  to  another,  and  because  they  have  let  go  the  line  of 
Jiurnn  and  his  successors,  that  they  must  of  necessity  take 
hold  of  that  of  the  priestly  Jkkodoam  and  his  successors — the 
measure  of  which  line  is  esscntialli/  fulfilled  by  the  hierarchy 
of  the  papal  church,  and  by  thai  of  her  reformed  descendants? 
And  because  the  line  or  succession  to  which  the  clergy  must  of 
necessity  loidi  for  the  descent  of  their  crown,  is  essentialli/  the 
same  line,  whether  it  bo  referred  to  tiie  successors  of  Jeroboam, 
who  were  made  of  the  loivest  of  the  people.,  or  to  die  successors 
of  the  first  pope,  viho  are  usualtij  made  of  the  same  material; 
(see  n.  6,)  and  also,  because  the  filling  up  of  which  line,  from 
the  days  of  Jerobo  the  son  of  Nehal,  the  first  sclfconslituled 
priest-maker  and  ordaining  niinialer  of  note  or  consequence  in 
the  church,  to  the  present  day,  has  resulted  in  noihing  less  than 
in  rending  asunder  the  church,  and  in  the  s!au<rhfer  and  dis- 
persion of  the  flock  of  the  Lord,  the  sheep  of  his  pasture. — 
Therefore,  Oh!  ye  clergy!  he  r  the  Word  (d"  the  Lord!  "Howl 
ye  shepherds,  and  cry;  and  wallow  yourselves  in  the  ashes,  ye 
prinripal  of  the  (ln-k;  fir  the  days  of  your  slaughter  and  dis- 
persions are  accomplished !    The  shepherds  shall  have  no  way 


Art.  3.]    Haughtiness  Humbled. — No  Way  to  Escape.  33" 


to  Jlee,  nor  ihe  principal  of  tlie  (loci;  to  escape.  A  voire  of  the 
cry  of  the  slieplierds,  anil  a  howling  of  the  princijuil  of  the 
flock  shall  bo  heard;  for  llie  Loril  haih  spoiled  their  pastnre." 
(Jer.  XXV,  34,  35,  3G.)  "'J'he  diseased  have  they  not  strength- 
ened, nor  have  they  healed  that  which  was  sick.  They  have 
not  brought  bat^k  that  which  was  driven  away,  nor  SDUght  that 
which  was  lost;  but  with  forje  and  cruelly  have  they  ruled  the 
flock.  My  sheep  wandered  through  all  the  mountains,  and 
upon  every  high  hilt;  but  I  will  require  my  flock  at  their  hands, 
and  c  uise  them  to  cease  from  feeding  the  flock.  My  flock  shall 
no  more  be  meat  for  them."  (See  Ezek.  xxxiv;  Hosea,  v,  7; 
Amos,  i,  2;  Micah,  iii,  5,  11;  Znch.  xi,  3  to  8;  and  many  other 
places.)  In  one  of  the  passages  adduced  above,  it  is  said, 
"The  shepherds  shall  have  no  way  to  Jlee,  nor  the  principcd  of 
the  flock  to  escape:''''  and  it  is  therefore  asked,  what  way  have 
the  clergy  left  for  them  to  Jly?  and  what  way  ordaining  minis- 
ters, who  claim  to  be  the  principals  of  the  flock,  have  left, 
through  which  to  escape?  Will  they  longer  look  for  the  descent 
of  their  crown  of  ordination  through  the  succession,  as  above 
stated,  and  which  (as  is  seen  and  acknowledged  by  all)  results 
in  the  rending  asunder  of  the  church,  ibus  in  the  slaughter  and 
idiperxion  of  the  flock;  and  for  which  reason  the  Word  of  the 
Lord  is  as  it  were  nakedly  against  the  clers:;/  and  their  princi- 
pals, whether  ordaining  ministers  or  otherwise,  declaring  that 
the  days  of  their  slaughter  and  dispersions  are  accomplished? 
Or  wdl  they  go  about  to  devise  in  their  own  hearts,  and  thence 
establish  a  new  succession,  as  Jeroboam  did,  and  for  which  ihey 
have  no  more  authority  from  the  Word  than  he  had?  and  this 
to  the  end  tliat  the  crown  of  ordination  might  have  some  line 
by  and  through  which  to  fall  in  its  desce.it  from  heaven;  that 
is,  some  line  by  w  hich  it  might  be  guided  directly  to  the  heads 
of  the  clergy  and  their  successors  forever?  This  they  might 
do;  nay,  this  way  they  might  think  to  escape;  but  when  they 
discover,  that  by  escaping  this  way  they  must  needs  become 
brethren  and  companions,  yea,  and  of  the  same  society  in  hell 
with  Jeroboam  the  son  of  Nebat  ivho  made  Israel  to  sin,  and 
the  foulest  schismatic  and  heretic  recorded  in  the  Word — they 
must  needs  abandon  it  also.  Whence,  the  Word  of  Uie  Lord 
is  true  indeed,  namely,  that  "The  shepherds  shall  have  no  way 
to  flee,  nor  ihe  principal  of  the  flock  to  escape.''^ 

39.  Robertson,  in  hio  Charles  V,  states,  that  "The  power 
which  the  Germans  assumed,  of  appointing  their  own  divines 
and  of  passing  judgment  respecting  articles  of  faith  in  their 
assemblies  composed  chiefly  of  laymen,  was  deemed  by  the 
pope,  not  only  as  criminal  and  profane,  and  as  the  worst  of 


34 


Exclusive  Right  of  Ordination. 


[Note  D, 


heresies,  whnm  all  were  bound  to  suppress,  but,  wliat  was  <n- 
Jinile/y  worse,  it  was  a  dangerous  invasion  of  his  rights." 
(P.ige  296  )  And,  do  not  the  clergy  now,  who  conceive  that 
they  are  crowned  with  the  crown  of  ordination  descended  fiom 
henven  independently  of  the  hiity,  consider  the  assiimpiion  of 
such  power  by  the  hiiiy  precisely  as  the  pope  and  hi?  creatures 
then  considered  it?  Nay,  they  certainly  do  so  consider  it; 
seeing  there  is  no  way  left  to  receive  ordination,  but  from  hea- 
ven, at  the  hands  of  the  laity — or  from  on  high,  through  the 
papal  succesyion,  or  some  oiher priestly  succession  making  one 
in  essence  with  it ! 

40.  The  same  author,  (see  the  number  just  preceding,)  ia 
page  206,  says,  that  "In  1526,  the  peasants  of  Germany  rose 
in  insurrection,  and  amongst  other  claims,  one  was,  that  they 
might  have  the  privilege  to  choose  theii  own  pastors;  and  that 
the  result  was,  that  20,000  of  them  were  cut  to  p.eces,or  rather 
butchered,  and  the  rest  !iad  to  return  to  their  foimer  state  of 
servitude,  with  less  hope  than  ever  of  relief  from  their  griev- 
ances," And  respecting  which,  it  is  asked,  do  not  the  modern 
clergy  who  deny  lo  the  laity,  whom  they  virtually  ca\\]  profane, 
the  power  to  appoint  and  ordain  their  own  ministers,  sfrilce 
hands  ivith,  and,  in  a  great  degree,  justify  the  butcheries  of  me 
German  ppasanls?  ami  especially,  when  they  teach  that  the 
laity  must  not  say,  "Co?nf,  since  the  clergy  abuse  their  power, 
we'll  take  it  into  our  owti  hands;''  and  thai  the  laity,  in  at- 
tempting to  lake  the  power  into  their  own  hands,  only  "cause 
the  disorder  complained  nf,  and  agsfravate  their  own  evils;" 
thus  make  mailers  worse!  (Compare  with  Precursor,  vol.  ii, 
page 

41.  Robinson,  in  his  Researches,  p.  188,  says,  that  "The 
Priscillian  heresy  gave  occasion  for  the  calling  of  a  council, 
^A.  D.  3S0,  where  a  decree  was  passed,  that  no  man  should 
assume  the  rank  or  office  of  a  teacher,  without  license  from  the 
members  of  that  council.  But  Priscillian  continued  to  teach; 
whence,  an  order  was  obtained  from  Maxiuius  (the  emperor) 
for  tiie  execution  of  this  heretic;  the  result  of  wiiich  was,  he 
and  many  of  his  fellows  suffered  death.  Thus  professed 
Christians,  for  the  first  lime,  through  the  instrumentality  of  ec- 
clesiastical law,  assumed  the  prerogative  of  determining  who 
should  teach,  and  of  putting  to  death  such  as  disobeyed  their 
determinations."  (See  also  Mosheim,  vol.  i,  p.  414.)  And, 
respecting  the  above,  the  question  is,  do  not  all  the  clergy  now, 
who  look  and  contend  for  their  crown  of  ordination  as  alone 
descending  through  a  succession  of  ordaining  priests,  wonder- 
fully coincide  in  sentiment  with  those  who  composed  the  abovo 


Arl.  3.]      Tendency  of  Clerical  Recommendaliom. 


35 


council  or  convention?  Wiiere  is  the  New  Ciiu  cli  man,  whose 
ears  are  so  dull  of  iiearing,  as  never  lo  have  lieard  ilie  modern 
clergy  approve  and  exlol  ihe  proceedings  had  in  the  conned  or 
conveiuion  above  noticed?  Has  no  New  Church  man  ever 
heard  things  en>analing  from  tlie  clergy  which  are  one  in  essence 
with  the  following,  nMxwXy:  "In  order  to  gn-trd,  as  far  as  pos- 
sible, against  tlie  iniroduclion  into  the  minisiry  of  all  such  per- 
sons as  we,  who  are  llie  clergy  of  Rome  and  Constantinople,  or 
of  Baliimore  and  Pliiladelphia,  (as  the  case  may  be,)  do  not 
conceive  to  possess  sufficient  qualiticaiions  to  render  our  sacred 
office,  the  sacred  office  of  the  priesthood  respected,  it  is  sirongly 
recommended  to  the  members  of  tliis  synod,  council,  convoca- 
tion, conference,  or  convention,  (as  the  case  may  be.)  to  express 
it  as  iheir  desire — (hat  is,  to  express  it  as  efficiently  as  the 
length  of  the  civil  chain  will  admit — that  no  person  shall  be 
ordained  to  be  of  the  clergy,  under  the  sanction  of  the  above 
churches,  without  the  a/>/)! o6a/ion of  the  clergy  of  liiose  church- 
es; and  also,  tiiat  laymen  should  not  (afier  the  example  of 
Waldus  and  his  followers,  Priscillian  and  his  followers,  many 
other  reformers  and  their  followers,  and  the  gieat  Swedenborg 

himself  and  some  of  his  followers,  all  of  whom  were  and 

are  mere  laymen,  without  cap  or  gown,)  go  about  to  teach, 
preach  or  publish  their  doctrines;  but  that  they  should  confine 
themselves  lo  the  reading  of  such  things  as  are  known  (by  us 
who  are  the  clergy)  lo  contain  the  orthodox  sentiments  of  the 
church.  And  it  should  be  further  known,  that  the  causes  whereby 
we  have  been  moved  lo  recommend  ihe  above  measures,  are  as 
follows:    First.  Conceiving  that  we  who  are  of  the  cleigy,  that 
is,  we  who  wear  the  from-on-high-descending  crown  of  or- 
dination' independenily  of  the  ^Jro/'cme  l^iiy,  do  thereby  receive 
into  our  minds  a  far  greater  share  of  tlie  Divine  influx  than  they 
do  into  theirs;  and,  therefore,  conceive  that  none  ought  to  be 
permitted  to  tell  or  teach  the  truth,  excepting  such  as  we  who 
are  of  the  clergy  may  deem  qualified,  and  thence  may  ordain 
to  that  end;  otherwise,  the  chun  h,  of  wiiich  we  are  the  clergy, 
might  be  so  disturbed  with  what  we  call  heresies,  as  to  l  e  rent 
asunder;  the  result  of  which  must  needs  be,  that  we  who  are 
sealed  on  ilie  pinnacle  thereof  mus-t  of  necessity  full  down 
prostrate  on  the  earth.    But  our  second  cause  moving  to  the 
above  recommendations  is,  0  horrible!  horrible!  for  we  have 
heard  somewhere  lo  have  existed  the  administration  of  the 
holy  .«actaments  by  laymen!  thai  is,  by  men  who  (however 
auilioiized  by  the  churches  of  which  they  are  members)  are 
nevertheless  de^litnle  of  ordination  as  descending  iliroiig!i  ihe 
succession! — in  a  word,  by  men  whom  we  never  ordained  to 


Exclusive  Right  of  Ordination. 


[Note  D, 


that  end !  This,  we  who  are  of  the  clergy  conpeive  to  be  a 
dangerous  precedent,  as  being  at  war  with  the  riglils  exclu' 
sivehj  pertaining  to  us  :  this  we  conceive  lo  be  fraught  with 
more  injury  to  the  cause,  the  great  cause,  the  cause  of  the 
clergy,  than  may  be  readdy  imagined!  (Compare  with  Pre- 
cursfir,  vol.  ii,  j).  292.)  Whence,  as  touching  the  things  here 
add\iced,  it  is  only  to  be  stated,  that  the  clergy,  of  whatever  de- 
nominaiion,  whose  seniiinenis  are  one  in  essence  wiili  those 
jusl  noticed,  (however  tiiey  may  n^-useate  ilie  naked  and  simple 
form  ill  which  tliey  are  here  exhibited, )  are,  for  that  reason, 
brethren  and  companions  of  those  composing  the  council  above 
noticed;  and  that,  as  Said  held  the  clotlies  of  those  who  stoned 
Stephen  to  death,  so  would  they  have  held  the  clothes  of  those 
wlio  put  Priscillian  and  his  followers  to  death,  for  presuming  to 
preach  independendy  of  ordination  descending  by  the  way  of 
the  clergy. 

42.  Gdlespie,  in  lus  Ecclesiastical  History,  teaches,  that  the 
celebrated  Peter  Waklus  was  persecuted  fiom  cit)'  lo  cii)',  by 
the  clergy,  for  preaching  to  the  people;  e.-pecially  because  he 
taught  that  the  traditions  of  men  (the  ecclesiastical  laws  of  the 
papal  church)  are  not  essential  to  salvation;  and,  consistently 
witli  this,  affirming  it  lo  be  according  to  the  will  of  God,  that 
when  one  is  taught,  he  should  be  permitted  to  teach  others. 
(See  his  Twelfth  Cent.)    Respecting  which,  it  is  worthy  of 
notice,  that  the  cleriiy  of  the  Old  Church  claim  descent  from 
Wahlus  and  his  followers,  who  manifestly  rejected  ordination 
by  the  way  of  descent  through  ordaining  ministers,  not  only 
in  rchition  to  the  church  of  Fomr,  but  also  in  lelation  to  the 
Wahicnsian  church  itself!   (See  RobiiKon's  Researciies,  pp. 
314.  406,  410;  iMosheim,  vol.  iii,  p.  119;  vol.  iv,  452,  483.) 
But,  is  it  not  evident,  that  the  clergy  of  the  Old  Chisrch,  and 
«speci.dly  all  wl  o  c/ami  ordination  as  descending  successively 
through  ordaining  ininiiters  and  no  otlierwise,  must  necessa- 
rily, in  order  lo  be  consistent  wi  h  themselves,  instead  of  chiim- 
ing  descent  from  Waldus  or  the  Waldensian  church*  planted  by 
him,  arknowlcdge  themselves  the  descendants  of  the  persecu- 
tors of  that  great  man.    Thus,  also,  ih.it  h;id  iliey  been  there 
at  that  time,  tln'y  too  would  have  persecuted  him,  for  sp>  aking 
against  descending  ordination,  and  for  presuming  lo  preach  to 
the  people,  when  he  was  nothing  but  a  layman? 


»  The  \VaIclense«  were  railed  Mnnicliean",  berau.«p  ihey  Hpnieil  the  Trinity 
in  the- ("iilliolic; -mse; — Calhuri,  brcau-e  ihfv  iHujht  lljal  thp  clliin  h  ou^ht 
to  consist  of  li  e  srond  al  ine; — i'alei nini <,  b( rau-e  of  Ihur  piitriai cl>»l  tiinJe 
of  liviiis; — Analiaptisl'.  Ill  llie  lime  of  Lnlliir.  They  "fie  als»  called 
Fieduioute:ie,  and  other  names,  from  the  cuunlr)'  iu  which  t'oey  lived. 


Art.  3.]       Origen  a  Preacher,  yet  not  Ordained.  37 


43.  Eusebius  states,  in  page  243,  that  "Origen,  on  coming  to 
Cxsarea,  was  requested  by  the  bishops  to  preach  and  expound 
the  sacred  Scriptures  publicly  in  the  church,  alliiough  lie  was 
not  yet  an  ordained  priest,"  and  tliat  "Alexander,  bisliop  of  Je- 
rusalem, observed,  concerning  this  circumstance,  that  Origen 
was  honored  above  others,  in  that,  being  a  layman,  he  was 
permilled  to  deliver  discourses  publicly;"  but  that  "Alexander 
was  ncvcriiicless  in  this  mistaken,  seeing  it  was  well  known 
that  wheresoever  there  are  found  those  who  are  qualified  to 
benefit  tlie  brethren,  they  are  exhorted  by  the  bishops  to  address 
the  people;  thus,  Euelpis  Paulinus  and  Theodore  were  exhort- 
ed ."    But,  respecting  tlie  above,  the  question  arises,  in 

what  estimation  do  tlie  clergy  of  the  Old  Church  hold  lay 
preaching  now?  Do  they  hold  it  to  be  of  any  force  whatever? 
Nay,  rather,  do  they  not  hold,  that  ordination  from  the  priest- 
hood, presbytery,  or  ordaining  ministry,  (as  the  case  may  be,) 
"js  the  very  link  that  connects  the  Divine  influence  with  hu- 
man instrumentality?"  and  that  "-Cy  neglecting  this  order," 
(the  ordination  descending  from  the  clergy,)  "men  are  cut  off 

from  the  fountain  of  Divine  influences?"  and  therefore,  also, 
that  "/ic  who  preaches  ivithout  the  ordination  of  the  clergy, 
preaches  without  being  sent?"  And  because  it  will  not  be 
disputed  but  that  the  clergy  of  the  Old  Cliurch  do  thus  hold, 
do  thus  teach  and  preach,  therefore  it  follows,  that  they  must 
of  necessity  utterly  disapprove  of  all  the  lay  preaching  that 
obtained  in  the  primitive  Churcli,  whilst  she  remained  as  a 
chaste  virgin  to  the  Lord;  and  thus,  of  that  of  the  great  Origen 
liimself,  as  well  as  of  that  of  the  others  spoken  of,  as  approved, 
fay  Eusebius  himself. 

44.  But,  besides  the  condemning  lay  preaching,  as  noticed 
in  the  last  arlicle,  the  clergy  of  the  Old  Church,  who  claim  the 
descent  of  their  crown  by  the  way  of  hereditary  succession, 
must  of  necessity  also  condemn  the  proceedings  of  the  primitive 
Church,  whilst  she  remained  as  a  chaste  virgin,  namely,  in  re- 
lation to  the  manner  in  which  her  clergy  were  chosen,  appoint- 
ed and  ordained.  As,  for  example,  Eusebius  states,  that 
"Justus  succeeded  Simeon,"  (the  successor  of  James  the  Just, 
first  bishop  of  Jerusalem;)  also,  that  the  way  he  came  to  succeed, 
"was,  because  of  great  numbers  from  the  circumcision  coming 
over  to  the  faith,  of  whicli  Justus  was  one."  (See  pp.  IH  to 
133.)  Here,  because  it  is  evident  that  the  laity  of  the  church 
of  Jerusalem  appointed  or  ordained  their  own  bishop,  inde- 
pendently of  neighboring  bishops;  independently  of  synods  or 
conventions;  and  as  independently  as  are  the  people  in  a  free 
State  in  electing  their  officers,  with  reference  to  the  officeis  or 

4 


38 


Exclusive  Right  of  Ordination. 


CNote  D, 


people  of  an  adjoining  state,  therefore  it  follows,  that  such  pro- 
ceedings must  necessarily  be  condemned  by  all  the  clergy  of 
the  old  church  who  scoff  at  the  idea  of  the  laify  appointing 
and  establishing  their  own  ministry,  independently  of  ordina- 
tion by  the  tvay  of  descent  successively,  as  before  suggested. 

45.  But  again,  Eusebius,  in  addition  to  that  stated  in  the  last 
article,  stales,  that  "Fabianus  was  advanced  by  Divine  Grace, 
to  be  one  of  the  candidates  for  the  office  of  bishop  of  Rome. 
"When,  therefore,  all  the  brethren  had  assembled  in  the  church, 
for  the  purpose  of  ORDAINING  him  that  should  succeed  to  be 
the  bisliop,  although  many  eminent  and  illustrious  men  were 
in  the  expectation  of  many,  Fabianus  being  present,  no  one 
thought  of  any  other  man."  (See  pp.  243  to  266.) 

Here  it  becomes  altogether  manifest,  that  tlie  clergy  of  the 
old  church,  who  claim  thai  their  ordination  is  by  the  way  of 
descent  through  superior  priests,  and  who,  consequently,  scoff 
at  the  idea  of  its  being  by  the  way  of  ascent  through  inferior 
laymen,  especially  through  all  the  brethren,  must  of  neces- 
sity utterly  condeynn  the  proceedings  of  the  primitive  church 
whilst  she  remained  as  a  chaste  virgin  to  the  Lord. 

46.  But,  conceiving  it  useless  to  multiply  examples  serving 
to  farther  confirm,  illustrate  and  show  thrt  the  clergy  of  the 
consummated  church,  who  claim  an  exclusive  right  to  tlie 
crown  of  ordination,  must  of  necessity  stand  in  direct  hostility 
to  the  spirit  and  genius  of  the  primitive  church,  in  relation  to 
the  same  subject,  it  remains  to  observe,  that  it  may  nevertheless 
be  highly  interesting  to  witness  the  stages  by  which  ordination 
progressed,  from  the  hands  of  all  the  brethren  in  common,  un- 
til it  fell  into  the  hands  of  the  clergy  exclusively;  seeing  that 
to  witness  those  stages  is  nothing  less  than  to  witness  the  stages 
by  which  the  primitive  church,  from  a  chaste  virgin,  progress- 
ed-till  she  became  the  rvhore  of  Home  and  the  mother  of  har- 
lots;— to  witness  the  stages  by  which  she"  progressed,  from 
CO-ordinalion  and  spiritual  freedom,  to  SUB-ordinalion  and 
spiritual  slavery  on  the  part  of  the  laity,  and  to  dotninion  and 
spiritual  despotism  on  the  part  of  the  clergy;  and  from  the 
light  and  day  of  the  reign  of  Chnst,  unto  the  darkness  and 
night  of  the  reign  of  Antichrist. 

In  accordance  with  the  things  just  suggested,  the  first  stage 
in  the  progression  of  ordination,  until  it  fell  out  of  the  hands  of 
all  the  brethren,  and  into  the  hands  of  the  clergy  exclusively, 
may  justly  be  conceived  to  be  ivhoi  the  bishops  [^t"lergy3  begun 
to  take  ujton  themselves  the  responsibility  of  ordinations,  yet 
acknowledging  the  right  thereof  to  be  vested  in  all  the  breth- 
ren.   In  relation  to  this  stage,  Eusebius  informs  us,  that  Cor- 


Art.  3.^    First  Stage  of  Progression  of  Ordination.  39 


nelius,  bishop  of  Rome,  wrote  to  the  churches,  that  "Novatus 
seemed  to  be  ignorant  that  there  ought  to  be  but  one  bishop  in 
a  canonical  church;"  that  "in  his  [Cornelius']  church  there 
were  46  elders,  7  deacons,  7  subdeacons,  52  clerks,  exorcists, 
readers,  etc.,  and  1500  widows  needy  and  afflicted,  besides  the 
multitude  of  the  laity;"  that  "Novalus  sent  to  the  least  [mean- 
est] part  of  Italy,  and  brought  over  three  bishops,  who  were 
but  simple  men,  and  that  these,  with  a  number  of  the  laity  of 
his  own  stamp,  conferred  on  him,  by  a  shadowy  imposition  of 
hands,  the  office  of  bishop;"  nevertheless,  that  "he  [Cornelius] 
afterwards  communed  with  one  of  these  bishops,  because  he 
confessed  his  error;"  but  that  "instead  of  the  other  two,  they 
[Cornelius  and  his  brethren]  sent  successors  whom  they  or- 
dained in  the  place  where  they  were."    Eusebius  also  informs 
us,  that  Cornelius  in  the  same  edifying  epistle  states,  that 
"Satan  had  t-^ken  possession  of  Novatus  for  a  long  time  before; 
seeing  he  would  not  partake  of  things  which  the  rites  of  the 
church  had  prescribed  as  duty;"  that,  "not  being  sealed  [con- 
firmed] by  the  bishop,  Novatus  had  never  obtained  the  Holy 
Spirit;"  and  that  "when  Novatus  was  convened  he  was  made 
■  [ordained]  an  elder  [that  is,  made  eligible  to  the  office  of  a 
bishop]  by  the  favor  [partiality]  of  the  bishop,  who  |C7°  alone 
placed  his  hands  upon  him;'" also,  that  "when  the  clergy 
and  laity  [that  is,  all  the  brethren]  resisted  his  ordination, .^Ol 
the  bi-shop  requested,  that  it  should  be  granted  to  him  ICT"  to 
ordain  only  this  o«e.",oOi  (See  Eusebius,  p.  267.) 

Such,  then,  is  a  slight  sample  of  the  things  and  transactions 
left  on  record,  indicative  of  the  first  stage  in  the  progress  of 
Ordination,  in  falling  out  of  the  hands  of  the  laity.  The  bishop, 
whom  the  laity  [a//  the  brethren']  have  ordained,  whom  they 
love  and  honor,  humbly  requests  of  the  brethren  that  they  suf- 
fer him  to  ordain  only  this  one  wiih  his  own  hands,  independ- 
ently of  theirs !  they  resist  such  procedure  ;  but  the  bishop 
persists!  he  humbly  sues  to  take  upon  his  oivn  shoulders  all 
the  responsibility  of  the  case;  and  the  result  is,  he  obtain  his 
suit,  and,  with  it,  the  handle  by  which  in  due  lime  to  wrest  the 
whole  out  of  the  hands  of  the  laity  ! 

47.  Eusebius  further  informs  us,  that  it  is  his  "purpose  to 
pass  by  the  ambition  of  the  clergy — the  injudicious  and  un- 
lawful ordinations  that  took  place;  and  the  great  schisms  and 
difficulties  that  thence  flowed."  Nevertheless,  in  another  placet 
he  states,  that  "when  full  liberty  was  graiited  to  the  bishops, 
they  began  to  rival  and  envy  each  other, — bishop  inveighing 
against  bishop,  (see  Cornelius  against  Novatus,  in  the  preceding 
number,) — each  only  anxious  to  assert  [obtain]  the  government 


Exclusive  Right  of  Ordination. 


[Note  D, 


as  a  kind  of  sovereignty,  for  himself;  and  which  resulted  in 
bringing  upon  the  church  the  most  grievous  persecution  from 
without,  [^ihe  Dioclesian  persecution,]  and  in  which  the  bishops 
of  the  rational  flocks  of  Christ,  who  did  not  govern  in  a  lauda- 
ble or  lawful  manner,  were  condemned  by  Divine  Justice  to  be 
keepers  of  the  unreasonable  camel,  an  animal  deformed  in  the 
very  structure  of  its  body!"  Whence  it  is  seen,  that  even  the 
first  stage  in  the  progression  of  Ordination,  in  falling  out  of  the 
hands  of  all  the  brethren,  manifested  by  the  clergy's  taking  the 
responsibility  of  ordination  upon  themselves,  resulted  in  unlaw- 
ful ordinations,  and  thence  in  schisms  and  difficulties  in  the 
church;  in  rivalry,  in  envy,  and  in  strife  after  sovereignty  and 
pre-eminence;  and,  finally,  in  the  condemnation  of  the  bishops 
themselves  to  be  made  the  bishops  or  overseers  oi  unreasonable 
camels,  instead  of  reasonable  men. 

48.  The  SECON0  stage  in  the  progression  of  Ordination  in 
falling  out  of  the  hands  of  the  laity,  and  into  the  hands  of  the 
clergy  exclusively,  may  be  justly  conceived  to  be  indicated, 
when  the  clergy,  from  talcing  upon  themselves  the  responsi- 
bility of  ordination,  proceed  to  claim  the  right  tlicreof  to  be  a 
right  exclusively  appertaining  to  their  office.  Whence,  in 
order  that  the  things  of  this  stage  may  be  clearly  evinced,  a  few 
leading  facts,  in  the  first  place,  will  be  adduced  from  the  annals 
of  the  church,  and  which  will  be  recognized  as  the  premises 
from  which  the  stage  in  question  must  necessarily  result. 
These  facts  are  as  follows: 

1st.  That,  in  century  2d,  the  laity  of  Jerusalem  appointed, 
ordered  or  ordained  Justus  to  be  their  bishop.  (See  Eui^ebius, 
page  120.) 

2d.  That,  in  century  3d,  the  laity  of  Jerusalem  "constrained 
Alexander  to  become  their  bishop."  (See  Eusebius,  p.  229.) 

3d.  That,  in  century  3d,  all  the  brethren  ordained  Fablanus 
to  be  their  bishop — the  bishop  of  Rome."  (See  Euseb.  p.  248.) 

4lh.  That,  in  centurj  4ih,  the  laity  of  the  church  of  Rome 
being  divided  in  respect  to  their  choice  of  a  bishop,  and,  "when 
Ambrose  exhorted  ihem  to  unity,  they  unanimously  left  the 
rival  candidaiod,  and  made  Ambrose  himself  their  bishop." 
(See  Gillespie's  Eccl.  Hist.) 

5th.  'I'hat,  in  century  4th,  "the  laity  would  not  suflcr  Pauli- 
nus  to  be  the  successor  of  Miletius,  because  the  former  had 
despised  the  fellowship  of  the  latter  in  his  lifetime."  (Sec  Gil- 
lespie.) 

6ih.  That,  in  the  complex,  during  the  first  three  centuries, 
"Christian  congregations,  all  over  the  East,  subsisted  in  sepa- 


A.rt.  3.3  Second  Stage  of  Progression.' — Accommodation.  41 


rale  independent  bodies  without  any  secular  power  over  one 
anoihcr;"  and  that  "Opinionists  [hereiics3  formed  churches, 
taught  tlicir  own  doctiines,  and  held  separate  assemblies  every- 
where. Thus,"  that  Marcioniles,  Valentiniuns,  Basilidians, 
and  a  great  number  more  who  followed  their  own  convictions, 
taught  cliurches  and  probably  were  men  of  more  zeal  than  the 
more  numerous  parly."  (See  Robinson's  Researches,  pages 
53,  55.) 

7ih.  That  "lay  preaching  was  permitted  till  about  the  middle 
of  the  third  century;  but,"  that  "after  the  time  of  Origen,  'of 
this  expiring  liberty  we  hear  no  more.'  "  (See  Sutcliff's  Eccl. 
Hist.,  p.  110.) 

8lh.  That  christians  being  charged  with  illiteracy,  (Rob. 
Res.,  p.  51,)  "A  public  school  was  established  at  Alexandria 
for  the  education  of  Christians  in  science  and  philosophy;  at 
the  head  of  which  was  first  placed  Dantaenxjs,  who  enriched 
the  church  with  a  version  of  the  sacred  Scriptures,  the  succes- 
sors of  whom  was  Clement  and  Origen"  (See  Moshiem,  vol. 
4,  p.  182.) 

9lh.  That  "the  ignorant  were  now  excluded  from  the  office 
of  teachers  of  religion,"  and  "the  practice  of  delivering  long 
sermons  was  introduced  by  Origen;  and,  in  which,  tiie  speak- 
ers were  "Scrupulous  in  adapting  their  discourses  to  the  rules  of 
Grecian  eloquence."  (See  Moshiem,  vol.  1,  p.  282,  and  vol. 
4,  p.  173.) 

10th.  That  the  christian  "worship  was  destitute  of  all  those 
idle  and  Jewish  or  heathenish  ceremonies,  naturally  pleasing  to 
the  gross  multitude,  who  are  usually  more  delighted  with  the 
pomp  and  splendor  of  external  institutions  than  with  the  charms 
of  rational  and  solid  piety."    (See  Mosheim.) 

II ih.  That  "both  Jews  and  heathens, from  being  accustomed 
to  pomp  and  magnificent  ceremonies,  and  from  regarding  them 
as  essentials,  beheld  with  indifference  and  contempt  the  sim- 
plicity of  the  christian  worship;"  and  thence  "esteemed  the 
Christians  but  little  belter  than  atheists,  because  they  had  no 
temples,  altars,  victims,  or  priests."  (See  Moshiem,  vol.  1, 
p.  196,  197,  198.) 

12th.  Tliat  "the  bishops,  in  order  to  remove  this  charge,  (see 
the  last  ailicles,)  and  the  consequent  prejudice,  thought  it  ne- 
cessary to  augment  the  number  of  religious  rites,  by  way  of 
accommodation  to  the  infirmities  of  both  Jews  and  heathens, 
in  order  to  facilitate  their  conversion."  Nevertheless,  that 
^'such  rites  were  extremely  offensive  to  wise  and  good  men;" 
and,  also,  that  "modest  and  plain  people  retired,  and  kept  at  a 
due  distance."  (See  Mosh.,  vol.  1,  p.  196,  197,  and  Rob.  Res., 
pp.  52,  56. 

4* 


43 


Exclusive  Jtight  of  Ordination.        [Note  D, 


13th.  That  christian  temples  now  (century  4lh)  matle  llieir 
appearance,  rivalling  in  splendor  and  magnificence  those  of 
either  Jews  or  heathens;  and  withal,  so  arranged  in  the  struc- 
ture of  their  parts,  as  to  be  strongly  indicative  of  a  priesliiood 
equal  in  power,  dignity  and  glory,  lo  that  of  any  preceding  age 
or  nation,  (a)    (Eusebius,  p.  406.) 

(a)  The  description  of  Eusebius  of  the  temple  at  Tyre,  built  by  Pauli- 
nas, bishop  of  that  place,  much  abridged,  is  as  follows:  First,  "A  lofty 
vestibule  presented  to  those  standing  without  the  sanctuary  a  full  view 
of  those  within ;  au  extensive  space  between  the  temple  [nave]  and  the 
vestibule,  decorated  and  enclosed  with  four  porticos,  presenting  a  quad- 
rangular space,  with  pillars  rising  on  every  side;  between  the«e  were 
carved  around  the  framed  latticed  railing,  rising  to  a  proportioned  height, 
the  middle  space  left  open,  so  that  tlie  heavens  might  be  seen ;" — that 
"here  were  placed  the  symbols  of  the  sacred  purification,  viz:  fountains 
built  opposite  to  the  temple,  [nave,]  affording  the  means  of  cleansing  to 
those  who  would  proceed  to  the  inner  parts  of  the  sanctuary;"  and  that 
"here  was  the  place  or  station  Ibr  those  who  yet  needed  the  first  intro- 
duction." And  that  "from  thence  there  were  open  entrances  to  the  tem- 
ple, with  many  other  inner  vestibules,  defended  by  three  gates  towards 
the  east;"  but  that  "the  grandeur  of  the  temple  itself  surpassed  all  de- 
scription;" that  "the  glittejing  aspect  of  works  dazzled  tl>e  eye  of  the 
beholder;"  that  "the  heights  rose  to  the  heavens;"  and  that  "costly  ce- 
dars of  Lebanon  rested  upon  these."  That  "within  it  was  adorned  with 
costly  thrones,  in  honor  of  those  who  preside,"  [the  bishop  and  presby- 
ters;] that  "the  holy  altar  was  in  the  midst,  and  that  the  se;fts  were  duly 
arranged  throughout  the  whole."  That  "the  altar  was  inclosed  with  a 
frame  of  lattice  work,  admirable  to  the  beholder;''  that  "the  floor  was  of 
splendid  marble;''  and  that  "on  each  side  of  the  cathedral  [palace]  were 
attached  spacious  vestry  rooms,  communicating  with  the  entrances  to 
the  middle  of  the  temple,  which  rooms  were  for  those  who  require  yet  the 
purification  and  sprinkling  of  the  holy  water  and  the  Holy  Spirit."  And 
not  only  so,  but  Eusebius  informs  us  what  some  of  the  prominent  parts  of 
the  temple,  thus  described,  represented,  namely  :  first,  that  "the  mass  of 
the  laity,  because  they  are  incapable  of  aitaining  to  the  internal  things 
of  the  Word,  cannot  be  otherwise  built  than  as  corresponding  to  tlie  wall 
of  the  temple;"  that  "the  subdeacons,  not  being  fixed  in  internal  things, 
correspond  to  the  entrances  of  the  temple,''  therefore,  that  "their  station 
is  at  the  doors  to  conduct  those  that  are  entering."  That  "the  catechu- 
mens, who  may  be  initiated  into  the  elements  of  the  literal  sense  of  the 
four  gospels,  are  represented  by  the  first  pillars  which  are  placed  without 
and  around  thequadrangular  hall;''  that  "the  compttentes  or  candidates 
for  baptism,  that  is,  those  who  are  not  far  separated  from  the  inmost  view 
of  divine  things,  are  represented  by  the  vestibules  or  pillars  thereof  on 
both  sides  of  the  royal  lemple;"  that  "those  from  amorg  the  competentcs 
who  are  received  by  the  bishop  as  meet  to  receive  the  divine  washing  of 
baptism,  and  thence  are  initiated  into  the  inner  mysteries  and  iiidden 
doctrines  of  the  sacred  Scriptures,  are  represented  by  'he  inner  columns, 
Tvhich  are  infinitely  more  resplendent  than  those  without,  and  which 
columns  are  illuminated  by  windows  receiving  the  light  of  licaven  frorn 
above."  That,  because  "in  the  hearts  of  the  faithful  the  gifts  of  the 
Holy  Spirit  reside,  and  in  the  bishop  Christ  himself;  therefore  it  is,  that  the 
seats  of  Christ  and  his  Spirit  are  represented  by  the  thrones,  seats,  and 
benches  ia  the  temple;"  that  is,  "the  bishop  lakes  the  throne,  and  each  one 


Art,  3.]        Representative  Sliadoics  lieltirning. 


43 


14lli.  Tiial  liisliops,  in  llieir  panegyrics  on  each  olher,  look 
occasion  to  cxliiliit  itiemselves  as  a  race  of  superior  beings,  as 
an  awful  order  of  nobilily;  as  llie  courtiers,  inlerpreiers,  famil- 
iars, peculiar  friends,  and  as  the  veiy  equals  of  Chiisl  liini- 
seif.  (b)    (See  Eusebius,  p.  406.) 

15th.  That,  with  iheir  pompous  rituals,  (article  ]2tli,)  and 
splendid  temples,  (article  13th,)  "bishops  might  now  be  seen 

according  to  liis  rank  takes  tlie  nrxt,  wheiher  tWcr,  deacon,  or  layman, 
and  shares  proportiorialel)/  the  (tistri/nUiori  of  the  pniocr  of  C/irist,  and  nj  Uie 
Holy  Spiriir''  l^'inallv,  tl);it  "the  luind  and  spirit  <jf  tlie  bishop  is  n.'pre- 
sented  by  the  altar,  bv  iis  gold  and  by  its  gratidenr;"  and  that '-here 
Christ  himsell  stantls  at  the  right  hand  of  the  iii-ihop,and  receives,  through 
him,  the  sweet  incense  of  a;|  the  prayers  of  the  s  linis,  and  with  extended 
arms  bears  theui  to  the  father  in  heavcfi  and  God  over  all,  and  thus  in- 
tercedes with  him  for  us!"  (-Seethe  panegyric  of  Eusebius,  in  relation 
to  the  bi-hop  of 'I'yre  and  his  temple.) 

(i)  JJusebitis,  in  the  piui'syric  noticed  in  (he  freceding  note,  exhibits 
(ho  following  things,  namely  :  First,  that  'Xcxt  to  tin-  great  High  Priest, 
the  second  place  ilevolves  on  one  alone  of  his  EQUALS  as  presidinjj 
prehite  or  bishop,  appointed  to  be  his  courtier  and  interpreter  to  inspect 
and  supcrintetid  ihe.iniiiost  state  of  yoin'  soids.'  [meaniag  the  souls  cf  the 
laity;]  that 'wiiat  the  great  High  Priest  scetli  the  Father  do,  the  same 
doeth  h«  likewise,  so  whatsoever  the  bishop  sees  the  great  High  Priest  do, 
he,  as  far  as  possible,  doeih  the  s.inie.  Ho,  not  neglecting  the  dead  car- 
case, [of  the  laity,]  but,  calling  upon  fJim  who  is  able  to  raise  the  dead 
as  his  aid  and  al/y,  he  again  raised  up  the  church,  who  had  fallen*  after 
he  had  cleansed  and  healed  her  from  all  her  ills.'  'J'hat  the  bishop, 
[meaning  Pan  iiius,]  'the  l)ri<le-nian — the  briilc-dresser,  raised  up  the 
church,  who  was  l^ing  as  a  dead  carcase,  and  hopeless  in  the  sight  of 
men,  and  caused  her  to  stand  upright,  and  esiablishetl  her,  a^^reeably  to 
what  he  had  luarneil  of  the  sacred  oracles;'  lhat'lhrough  the  envy  of  the 
malignant  demon,  tlic  church  fell  away  into  pleasure,  arnl  thence  became 
a  hideous  carcase,  stripped  of  her  natural  ideas  of  God,  so  that  not  one 
stone  of  her  virtue  reuiained  upon  another;'  but  that  'the  bisho[is,  who 
were  Christ's  familiar  friends,  and  who  li  id  been  secretly  protected 
throughout  the  storms  of  persecution,  were  now  led  forth  into  lishi,  and 
honored,' inasnnich  as  *by  these  ( iod  cleansed  tlie  church  which  a  little 
before  had  been  polluted,  makuig  her  smund  clear  and  bright;'  and  final- 
ly, that  'Goil  has,  lor  the  future,  committed  !hat  grounil  io  the  bishops;' 
anfl  this,  'because  they  are  the  most  capable  of  discriminating  and  dis- 
cerning the  minds  of  tb.ise  thus  comaiitted  to  their  charge  I'  1 

*  Eusebius  here  alludes  to  the  falling  away  of  the  Church,  that  took  place 
in  the  lime  of  the  Dioolesian  persecution. 

f  That  the  language  of  modern  bishops  is  virtually  the  same  nilh  that  of 
bishops  in  the  days  of  Eustbiiis,  is  known  at  once  fron)  the  lollowing  words,, 
extracted  from  the  Methodist  Discipline,  -^VVe  [your  hi-hops]  esteem  it  our 
duty  and  privilege  to  rec  )U»u)end  to  yon,  [lhai  is,  cnturre  upan  you,  if  llie 
len};tli  of  our  chain  would  adndl,]  as  nieiul)ei  s  [not  of  the  Loi  d's  church,  bntj 
of  OUR  church,  OUR  FoliAl  of  Uiscipline,  [not  loimded  on  the  Word  of  God, 
but]  founded  on  the  experience  of  a  long  sfries  of  years;  as  also,  on  the  ob- 
servations and  remarks  ive  [your  bishop*]  have  made  on  ancient  and  modern 

churches."    "          We  desire  you  to  read,  mark  learn  an<l  inwardly  digest 

the  whole.  You  ought,  next  to  the  word  of  Goj,  to  procure  the  articles  and 
canons  of  the  ctiurch  to  which  you  belong" — [not  of  which  you  are  uiembers 
co-ordinately,  but  to  which  you  belong  as  subordinates.]    See  p.  5. 


44 


Exclusive  Right  of  Ordination.  [NoteD, 


decked  out  in  gorgeous  robes,  mitres,  tiaras,  (c)  and  with  all 
the  parapliarnalia  of  wax  tapers,  crosiers,  processions,  lustra- 
tions, images,  gold  and  silver  vases,  and  many  other  such  things 
of  pageantry,  were  equally  to  be  seen  in  heathen  temples  and 
christian  churches."  (See  Mosheim,  vol.  1,  p.  383.) 

16th.  That  "the  bishops,  elders,  deacons,  etc.,  of  the  church 
now  adopted  the  Jewish  titles  of  chief  priests,  elders,  priests, 
and  Leviles;  and,  in  a  little  time  after,  the  aspiring  clergy 
thought  proper  to  claim  the  same  rank  and  station,  the  same 
rights  and  privileges,  that  accompanied  those  titles  under  the 
Mosaic  dispensation!"  (d)  (See  Mosheim,  vol.  1,  pp.  198, 199.) 

49.  Here  the  reader  will  discover,  that,  by  means  of  the 
premises  thus  far  adduced,  lie  has  been  introduced,  as  it  were, 
by  easy  steps,  till  wiihin  full  view  of  the  second  stage  itself. 
And  that  such  is  the  case,  may  be  known  from  this,  that  the 
bishops  of  the  church,  in  claiming  the  same  rights  and  privileges 
usually  conceived  as  pertaining  to  the  Jewish  priesthood,  do 
nothing  less  than  claim  the  exclusive  right  of  consecrating 
£ordaining3  themselves.  But,  inasmuch  as  without  a  central 
point,  as  the  orderly  medium  of  influx,  (compare  Precursor, 
vol.  3,  p.  22,  2d  column.)  that  is,  without  a  head,  from  which 
priestly  consecration  might  descend,  the  laity  might  only  have 
smiled  at  the  arrogant  claims  and  pretensions  of  the  clergy; 
especially  knowing,  that  while  bishops  remained  independent 
of,  and  equal  to  each  other,  without  any  earthly  head  under 
which  to  unite,  it  were  impossible  that  they  should  carry  their 
ambitious  theory  into  practice  to  any  great  extent;  therefore  it  is, 


(c)  The  use  of  gowns  (says  Sntcliffe)  for  the  clergy  were  iiitrodiiced, 
because  Pagnu  ami  Jewish  priests  olTiciated  in  flowing  robes;  anil  the 
next  slep  of  (he  clergy  was,  to  introduce  many  childish  imitations  of  the 
magnificence  of  the  .lowisli  worship,  as  well  as  of  the  Pagan  superstition  ;' 
and  to  -enforce  tlie  observance  of  them  upon  the  laity,  as  things  essential 
to  salvation.'  (Page  114.  Compiire  with  Precursor,  vol.  3,  p.  23,  first 
column,  and  WilUiiis'  Letters,  p.  17.) 

(d)  Signs  of  the  .same  thiuijs  may  vary  in  different  ages  and  kingdoms. 
The  pi!oplp,  in  this  age  and  commonweal  h,  calling  themselves  Methodists, 
[that,  is,  Christians  according  to  external  metliod  or  order,]  instead  of 
chief  priests,  have  six  chief  superintendents  in  America;  instead  of 
presbyters,  [elders,]  they  have  multitudes  of  presiding  elders,  all  in  sub- 
ordination to  the  superintendents ;  instead  of  priests,  they  have  multitudes 
of  travelling  deacons;  and  finally,  instead  of  Lcvitcs,  they  have  an  host 
of  local  elders,  d(>acons  and  preacher^.  Nay,  to  this  it  may  be  ndded, 
that,  instead  of  a  ropn,  whose  holy  will,  whose  best  judgment,  and  whose 
mature  thought,  are  no  other  than  ecclesiastical  laws,  whether  of  faith 
or  oriler,  tlicy  have  a  General  Conference,  clothed,  as  far  as  the  civil 
chain  will  permit,  with  similar  powers  and  prerogatives!  (See  Aletl^o- 
dist  Discii)line,  pp.  20,  21,  22,  especially  p.  22,  art.  G.) 


Art.  3.]  Of  Injlux, — Honest  Jiulges,  etc. 


45 


that  a  few  additional  facts  especially  in  relation  to  the  origin 
and  establishment  thence  of  the  centre  of  injlux,  or  head,  as 
just  suggested,  are  here  presented. 

'17lh.  That,  in  century  4th,  'Julian,  bishop  of  Rome,  be- 
cause of  his  labors  in  arresting  the  influence  of  Arianism,  was 
made  judge  of  appellations;  and  that  his  successors  claimed 
the  same  honors.'    (See  Gillespie's  Eccl.  Hist.) 

18ih.  That  it  was  now  enacted  in  council,  that  'a  bishop 
should  not  be  tried  for  crime  or  misdemeanor  but  before  twelve 
honest  judges  of  his  own  choosing;  and  even  then,  that  no 
definite  sentence  should  be  passed  against  a  bishop  till  he  had 
appealed  to  the  patriarch  of  Rome,  and  his  cause  tried  there.'  ( e) 
(See  Gillespie.) 

19ih.  That,  in  century  5lh,  'the  patriarch  of  Rome  sent 
about  two  of  his  presbyleis  to  crave  that  no  matters  of  import- 
ance be  done  or  transacted  without  his  advice.'  (Gillespie.) 

20ih.  That,  after  the  example  of  the  bishop  of  Rome,  those 
of  Constantinople,  .Hcxandria,  Jlntioch,  Jerusalem,  and  Se- 
lucia,  assumed  and  also  obtained  the  name  and  office  of  patri- 
archs, [heads  or  fatiiers  of  bishops.]  Nevertheless,  that  none 
of  these  contending  prelates  found  the  occurrences  of  the  times 
so  favorable  lo  his  ambition  as   to  the  pitriarch  of  Rome;" 

"          whose  supreme  authority  was  particularly  owned  bj'  the 

general  council,  at  Chalcedon,  A.  D.,  451.  (See  Mosheini, 
vol.  1,  p.  340,  and  vol.  2,  pp.  26  to  29.) 

21st.  That  it  was  now  decreed  in  council,  (in  which  the  pa- 
triarch or  metropolitan  bishop  usually  presided,)  that  it  v.-as  the 
office  of  the  metropolitan  bishop  to  consecrate  [ordain]  infe- 
rior bishr>ps,  to  ordain  and  assemble  councils,  and  to  regulate 
the  affairs  of  the  church  universal.    (See  Mosh.,  vol.  2,  p.  29.) 

50.  Here,  by  the  way,  let  us  stop  and  note  it  in  the  book 
of  remembrance,  that  the  metropolitan  bishop,  in  having,  like 
Lucifer,  seated  himself  in  the  mount  or  higliest  place  of  the 
council  or  convention,  and  thence,  in  having  so  ordered  matters 
and  things  as  to  cause  it  to  be  acknowledged  and  decreed,  that 
to  him,  and  to  him  alone,  it  appertained  lo  make,  ordain  and 


(f)  That  Methodist  bishops  are  lo  be  tried  on  similnr  principles,  is 
evii'ent  from  this,  that  the  prfsifh'ng  elilers  arc  chosi-ii  by  the  bishops, 
anil  thoy,  with  such  as  they  sec  fit  to  choose,  constitute  the  majority  of 
those  accordinsr  to  the  Discipline,  (pp.  28,  2D,)  may  try  a  bishop — 

Nevertheless,  as  in  the  ca  e  above,  so  here:  sei'ing  ihat  no  definite  sen- 
tence can  be  passed  asninst  a  Alelhodst  hisho[>,  but  by  the  General  Con- 
ference.   (See  Methodist  Dis'  ipline,  p.  29.) 


49 


Exclusive  Right  of  Ordination.  [^NoteD, 


consecrate  priests,  order  councils,  etc.,  did  thence,  and  for  that 
very  reason,  manifest  himself  to  be  none  other  than  the  man  of 
sin,  and  the  genuine  son  and  successor  of  the  son  of  Nebat, 
ivho  made  Israel  to  sin.  Has  not  the  seven-fold  light  of  the 
latter  day  glory  made  it  yet  manifest,  that  bishops,  whether 
metropolitan  or  otherwise — whether  Catholic,  Calvinistic,  Meth- 
odist, or  otherwise — claiming  to  be  the  superintendents  of  the 
church,  and  thence  the  makers,  ordainers  and  consecraiors  of 
ministers  or  priests,  are,  for  that  reason,  the  genuine  descend- 
ants of  Jeroboam  the  son  of  Nebat? — especially  from  its  being 
well  known,  that  that  great  heresiarch,  long  before,  immortal- 
ized his  arrogance  and  presumption  by  taking  upon  himself  to 
fulfill  that  very  office!  It  is  written,  in  1  Kings,  that  Jerobo- 
am returned  and  made  of  the  lowest  of  the  people  priests  of  the 
high  places;'  and  that  'Whomsoever  he  would,  he  CONSE- 

CRA.TED  him  .'  (xiii,  33.)    And  what  less  do  bishops 

claim,  at  this  day,  than  to  consecrate,  make  and  ordain  whom- 
soever they  will  to  be  priests;  thus  to  make  priests  according 
to  the  will  of  man,  and  thence  of  the  lowest  of  the  pcojile  ? 
We  read,  that  Jeroboam  ordained  him  priests  for  the  high 
places,  and  for  the  devils,  and  for  the  calves  which  he  had 
made;  (2  Chron.  xi,  15;)  and  that  he  made  priests  of  the  lowest 
of  the  people,  which  were  not  of  the  sons  of  Levi;  (1  Kings, 
xii,  31;)  and,  in  the  passage  above  noticed,  that  whomsoever 
he  would  he  consecrated  him  a  priest; — whence  we  have  it, 
that  Jeroboam  was  a  maker,  an  ordainer,  and  a  consecralor  of 
priests;  all  of  which  are,  therefore,  virtually  the  same  thing. 
But,  as  the  metropolitan  bishop,  (art.  21st,)  so  his  successors 
after  him,  all,  as  the  genuine  successors  of  their  great  progeni- 
tor, gravely  go  about  fulfilling  the  very  same  office,  even  to  the 
present  d^y! 

51.  But  to  return  to  the  things  more  immediately  under 
coneideraiion;  it  remains  to  be  remarked,  that  from  the  bishops 
claiming  the  same  rights  and  privileges  alleged  to  appertain  to 
the  Jewish  priesthood,  thus  the  exclusive  right  of  ordinaiion, 
now  called  consecration;  and  from  their  enacting  ecclesiastical 
laws,  whereby  a  centre  of  influx  or  head  was  provided,  from 
which  consecration  might  descend  independently  of  the  laity; 
the  things  of  the  second  stage  in  the  progression  of  ordinaiion, 
in  departing  from  the  hands  of  all  the  brethren,  at  least  so  far 
as  the  clergy  are  concerned,  are  manifest.  Nevertheless,  it  must 
be  observed,  that,  as  referred  to  the  laity,  the  same  stage  is 
indicated  by  this,  that  they  not  only  tenaciously  adhered  to  the 
right  of  electing,  appointing  and  ordaining  their  bishops  or 
pastor*,  but  also  spoke  and  acted  on  all  occasions  against  tha 


Art.  3.]  Investment  or  Consecration  by  Staff  and  Ring.  Vt 


unholy  claims  of  the  clergy.    And  that  such  was  really  the 
case,  will  be  seen  from  the  additional  facts  here  adduced. 

22d.  That,  in  A.  D.  379,  the  laity  took  up  aims  and  ihence 
decided  that  Damasits  should  be  bishop  of  Rome.  (Gillespie.) 

23d.  That  Jlcacius,  a  bishop  of  the  primitive  stamp,  was 
excommunicated  by  Felix,  bishop  of  Rome,  for  not  asking  his 
advice;  but  in  return,  that  Acacius  excommunicated  Felix,  and 
erased  his  name  from  the  roll  of  bishops.  (See  Gilles.  Cent.  5.) 

24th.  That,  in  century  lOih,  the  dignity  of  the  emperor  (who 
wielded  the  power  of  the  laity)  was  so  far  recovered,  that  no 
man  could  be  chosen  pope  without  his  consent.  (See  Gillespie.) 

25th.  That,  in  century  11th,  the  emperor  removed  three 
seditious  popes,  and  appointed  Clemens,  and  that  the  pope 
[^Gregory]  stirred  up  the  subjects  of  Henry  IV.  to  rebel  against 
him,  in  order  that  the  power  of  investment  might  be  thrown 
out  of  the  hands  of  the  laity.    (See  Gillespie.) 

2Gih.  That  Henry  V.  came  to  Rome  to  be  crowned  emperor; 
but  that  the  pope  would  not  crown  him,  without  he  would  first 
sign  away  all  his  right  (by  a  formal  act)  to  the  election  of 
popes,  along  with  the  right  of  investiture  [^consecration  or  filling 
the  hand]  of  bishops  with  STAFF  and  RING  ;  nevertheless, 
that  the  emperor  seized  the  pope,  and  compelled  him  to  crown 
him,  and  at  the  same  time  to  confirm  his  right  to  elect  popes. 
(See  Gillespie,  Cent.  12.) 

52.  From  the  things  here  adduced,  the  tenacity  with  which 
the  laity,  whether  with  or  without  their  emperor  at  their  head, 
adhered  to  their  ancient  rights,  not  only  of  electing  and  ordain- 
ing their  own  bishops,  but  also  of  investing  or  consecrating, 
thai  is,  filling  their  hand  with  staff  and  ring,  (the  insignia  of 
their  pastoral  office,)  is  abundantly  manifest.  And  not  only  so, 
but  that  the  speach  of  the  laity,  whether  through  their  bishops 
who  adhered  to  and  defended  the  primitive  rights  of  the  laity, 
or  as  emanating  immediately  from  themselves,  coincides  with, 
and  therefore  makes  one  with  the  action  as  adduced  in  the  arti- 
cles just  preceding,  may  be  seen  in  the  additional  articles  which 
here  follow: 

27th.  That  Cyprian,  A.  D.  248,  in  his  address  to  the  bishops 
at  the  council  of  Carthage,  said,  'No  one  of  us  has  set  himself 
up  as  the  bishop  of  bishops,  or  has  driven  by  tyrannical  fear 
his  colleagues  to  the  necessity  of  obeying  him,  since  every 
bishop  has  his  own  will  for  the  exercise  of  his  liberty  and 
power.'    (See  Cossart,  p.  786.) 


48  Exclusive  Right  of  Ordinuiion.        [Note  D, 


28ih.  That  the  clergy  of  France  and  Germany,  A.  D.  450, 
admonislied  pope  Anastatics  to  let  them  alone,  and  not  exer- 
cise his  tyranny  over  them.    (See  Jllyricus,  p.  41.) 

29th.  That  the  bishops  of  Belgia  resisted  the  encroachmenta 
of  supremacy,  even  down  to  the  year  860;  that  in  their  epistle 
to  pope  Nicholas  tliey  say,  'We  will  not  stand  to  thy  decrees, 
nor  fear  ihy  tlinndering  bulls,  thou  who  despisest  the  decree 
and  order  of  our  Lord;'  (lUyricus,  p.  80;)  and  that  the  bishops 
o{  JiJn gland  and  Scotland  resisted  popery  for  many  centuries, 
holding  forth  language  similar  to  that  of  those  of  Belgia  on  all 
occasions.  (See  Burgess'  Tracts,  p.  125,  and  Jamieson's  Hist, 
of  the  Culdees  [Waldensians.] 

30th.  That  St.  Ibar,  the  Irish  pastor,  said  to  St.  Patrick 
who  wisiied  (o  exercise  some  authority  over  him,  'We  of  Ire- 
land never  acknowledge  the  supremacy  of  a  foreigner.'  (See 
O'DriscoH's  Views,  p.  85.) 

31st.  That  Gregory,  (A.  D.  590.)  said,  'Peter,  Paul  and 
John  were  all  members  under  one  head;'  and  that  'no  one  de- 
sired to  be  called  universalis,^  [that  is,  primate,  general,  or 
bishop  of  bishops,']  and  adds,  'I  do  confidently  say,  that  who- 
soever is  desirous  to  be  called  universalis  is  the  forerunner  of 
Antichrist,  because,  in  his  pride,  he  prefers  himself  to  the  rest. 
For,  as  that  ff  'icked  One  wishes  to  appear  a  god  above  all  men, 
so  he  who  desires  to  be  bishop  of  bishops  extols  himself  above 
other  bishops.'  'If  any  man  assumes  that  name,  — '  ' —  then 
the  whole  church  falls  from  its  slate,  when  he  who  is  looked  up 
to  as  the  universalis  or  general  falls.'  (See  Regist.  Epist.,  pp. 
743  to  8S1.) 

32d.  That  Ambrose  said,  'If  Peter  enacted  a  primacy  or  su- 
premac}',  it  was  a  primacy  of  confession,  [witnessing  to  the 
truth,]  and  not  of  earthly  honor; — a  primacy  of  faith,  and  not 
of  order;'  that  is,  not  a  first,  or  supreme  source,  whence  or- 
dination or  consecration  might  descend  to  inferior  clergy  by  the 
way  of  subordinate  degrees.    (See  The  Incarnation,  p.  711.) 

33d,  That  pope  Pus  II.  frankly  acknowledged,  that  'Before 
the  Nicene  council  took  place,  every  bishop  lived  to  himself,' 
and  that  'In  the  Nicene  council  no  primacy  [supremacy]  was 
awarded  to  the  bishop  of  Rome.'  (See  Wittel's  Synopsis,  p. 
158.) 

34tli.  Tliat  Jerome  said,  'If  bishops  are  greater  than  elders, 
they  are  only  so  from  custom,  and  not  by  the  truth  of  the  Lord's 
appointment  — .'  ' —  Wherever  a  bishop  is,  whether  at  Kome, 
Constantinople,  or  Tanais,  he  is  of  the  same  worth,  [authority,] 
and  the  same  priesthood.'    (On  Tetus,  liib.  1,  cap.  1.) 

35th.  That  Theodore  said,  'Christ  is  alone  the  head  of  all; 


Art.  3.]   Third  Stage  in  the  Progression  of  Ordination.  49 


the  church  is  his  body;  ami  the  saints  are  the  members  of  his 
body;  one  is  the  neck,  and  another  is  the  feet.'  'By  his  legs 
understand  Peter,  the  first  of  all  the  apostles.'    (On  Sol.  Song.) 

3i5th.  That  Waldus  said,  'The  traditions  of  popes  and  coun- 
cils [which  involve  in  ihem  the  right  of  ordination  claimed  by 
the  clergy]  are  not  essential  to  salvation;'  but  contrariwise; 
for,  'when  on^  is  taught  he  should  be  permitted  to  teach  others.' 
(See  Mosheim.)  • 

37lh.  That  'In  the  primitive  church,  the  jurisdiction  of  bish- 
ops was  equal  and  co-ordinate;  elders,  presbyters  and  bishops 
were  only  different  titles  for  the  same  office;  none  claimed  the 
pre-eminence  over  his  fellow  servants,  whether  of  the  clergy  or 
laity,  nor  was  any  awarded  but  to  superior  ability  and  sanctity. 
I?ut,  in  process  of  time,  the  bishop  of  Rome  obtained  and  es- 
tablished a  spiritual  dominion  over  the  minds  and  sentiments  of 
men.'    (See  Robertson's  Charles  V,  p.  59.) 

Whence,  it  may  justly  be  concluded,  that  from  the  presump- 
tion and  arrogancy  of  the  clergy,  whether  in  claiming  the  right 
to  superintend  and  inspect  the  inmost  state  of  the  souls  of  the 
laity,  and  with  this  the  right  of  ordination  exclusively,  or  by 
bringing  in  a  flood  of  Jewish  or  heathenish  ceremonies,  by 
which  to  swell  their  own  importance  and  to  annihilate  that  of 
the  laity,  and  thus  to  carry  away  the  church;  (see  articles  13 
to  16;)  and  from  their  going  about,  in  their  councils  or  other- 
wise, to  create  a  centre  of  influx,  a  primacy  or  supremacy, 
through  which  ordination  [consecration]  might  descend  to  each 
of  their  own  body,  independently  of  the  laity,  (see  art.  16  to  21,) 
taken  together  with  the  action  of  the  laity,  (art.  21  to  '25,)  as 
well  as  the  speech  and  action  of  all  the  brethren,  who  still  ad- 
hered to  the  apostolic  and  primitive  order,  (see  art.  25  to  36,) 
all  protesting  against  the  unholy  claims  and  encroachments  of 
the  clergy — tjie  second  stage  of  the  progression  of  ordination 
in  falling  into  the  hands  of  the  clergy  exclusively,  becomes 
abundantly  manifest. 

53.  The  THIRD  and  last  stage  in  the  progression  of  ordina- 
tion in  falling  into  the  hands  of  the  clergy  exclusively,  may  be 
justly  conceived  to  be  indicated  ^^PFhen  the  clergy,  from  claim- 
ing the  exclusive  right  of  ordination,  proceed  to  silence  all 
opposition  to  their  unholy  claims.  Respecting  this  stage,  let 
it  first  be  obseived,  generally,  that  sentiments  and  transactions 
genuinely  indicative  of  a  thing  may,  and  often  do,  have  place 
without  their  being  either  formally  or  expressly  exhibited  as  if 
concerning  that  thing.    But  how  this  case  is,  may  be  seen  from 


50 


Exclusive  Right  of  Ordination.        [Note  D, 


this,  that  a  tyrant  who  has  a  design  upon  his  species,  (as  indeed 
all  tyrants  have,)  in  his  aspirations  after  power  whereby  he 
may  enslave  his  fellow  man  and  rob  him  of  all  he  possesses, 
along  with  life  itself,  will  always  take  special  care  that  his  real 
design  be  not  exhibited,  expressly  or  formally,  by  his  sentiments 
or  transactions.    He  who  is  only  as  yet  grasping  after  power 
may,  indeed,  teach  the  people,  that  ihe  divine  influx  of  heaven 
is  naturally  receded  by  some  men  more  than  oTliers;  that,  in 
some,  the  principles  of  civil  law,  justice  and  equity,  are  em- 
•      bodied  like  essence  and  form,  like  things  abstract  and  concrete; 
and  that,  in  others,  the  principles  of  ecclesiastical  law,  involv- 
ing the  order  according  to  which  the  church  should  be  estab- 
lished, are  embodied  in  the  same  way;  and  therefore,  that  it  is 
the  duty  of  every  man,  in  whom  these  principles  are  embodied, 
to  proceed  straightway  to  carry  them  out  into  efTect;  also,  that 
he  who  would  hinder,  oppose,  or  thwart  any  man  faithfully 
employed  in  carrying  out  into  eff"ect  those  principles  embodied 
within  him,  whether  in  the  form  of  civil  or  ecclesiastical  laws, 
■would  thereby  do  nothing  less  than  ''part  asunder  wltat  God 
has  joined  together — than  interrupt  the  connection  between 
principles  and  men — than  ai)n  a  bloio  at  the  very  foundation 
of  the  Universe,  at  least,  of  society — and  would  thereby  do 
nothing  less  than  aid  and  abet  those  ivho  are  the  enemies  of 
order  and  good  government!    Nay,  after  teaching  the  people 
all  this,  he  may  then,  after  as  modest  a  way  as  he  is  capable, 
farther  teach  them  that  he  himself  is  the  very  man,  or  at  least 
one  of  the  elect  and  chosen  few,  in  whom  the  principles  in 
question  are  all  embodied!    This,  yea,  all  this,  a  tyrant,  grasp- 
ing after  power,  may  gravely  teach  and  tell  you.    But  will  he 
tell  you  what  his  interior  mind  is?    Will  he  tell  you  that  his 
grand  object  is  dominion  over  his  fellow  man,  and  power,  by 
which  as  far  as  possible,  to  bring  the  church  and  the  world  into 
servile  subjection  and  under  his  own  feet?    (Con^jiare  Precur- 
sor, vol.  2,  p.  341,  first  column.) 

54.  But  again,  ask  him  who,  from  the  lust  of  dominion 
working  within,  is  grasping  after  power,  what  are  people  to  do 
when  grievously  oppressed  by  their  rulers?  and  he  will,  with- 
out doubt,  teach  you  that  the  way  to  correct  abuses  is  not  to 
attempt  to  separate  the  necessarv  connection  of  things  which 
God  has  established;  that  it  is  not  necessary,  under  a  mistaken 
notion  of freedom,  to  interfere  trith  the  fundamental  principles 
of  the  church — a  main  one  of  which  is,  that  all  the  principles 
of  the  church  are  embodied  in  the  clergy,  whose  sacred  duty 
it  is  to  ultimate  them  in  the  shape  of  ecclesiastical  laws,  how 
grievous  soever  such  laws  may  be  to  the  laity! — and  therefore. 


Art.  3.]  How  to  Complain  of  jJbuse  is  to  Create  its  Cause.  51 


that  to  interfere  especially  with  thi»  principle,  is  in  fact  to 
create  the  very  cause  of  the  abuse  complained  of  I 

Ask  the  ecclesiastical  tyrant,  whether  the  essence  of  freedom 
does  not  consist  in  a  man's  having  freedom  to  speak  and  do 
just  as  he  pleases,  while  he  respects  the  civil  laws  of  the  land, 
which  guarantee  equal  rights  and  freedom  in  spiritual  things  to 
all  ?  and,  with  averted  face,  as  though  he  were  brought  up  in 
Armageddon,  he  doubtless  will  gravely  inform  you,  that  it  is 
not  gospel  freedom  for  a  man  to  do  just  as  he  pleases!  but 
that  gospel  freedom,  amongst  other  things,  consists  in  a  man's 
bringing  himself,  in  the  spirit  of  humility,  into  the  order  that 
God  has  established — meaning  thereby  the  order  which  the 
clergy,  from  its  being  embodied  within  them,  have  carried  out 
and  established.  (See  above,  also  the  number  just  preceding.) 
But  grant  to  the  tyrant  the  power  after  which  he  is  grasping, 
and  he  will  soon  tell  you  face  to  face,  in  the  language  of  a  cer- 
tain Romish  pope,  that  "Freedom  of  opinion  is  a  senseless  free- 
dom, and  libeity  of  conscience  a  delirious  conceit;"  and  that 
"The  freedom  of  the  press"  [involving  free  discussion  con- 
cerning the  truth  of  principles  and  things,  and  wherein  persons 
of  distinction  are  liable  to  receive  disparagement  instead  of  that 
courteousness  and  respect  to  which  they  are  entitled]  "is  a 
fatal  license^  of  which  it  is  impossible  to  entertain  too  much 
honor."  (Compare  Precursor,  vol.  2,  p.  341.)  Nevertheless, 
it  is  concluded,  that  were  he  who  has  a  design  upon  his  species, 
(that  is,  to' bring  his  fellow  man  under  his  yoke,)  to  do  even  as 
Absalom  did,  that  is,  stand  in  the  gate-way. and  kiss  every  man 
passing  in  and  out,  and  at  the  same  lime  exclaimi'JJ;  "O  that 
I  were  made  king,  for  I  would  do  justice  to  every  man!'* 
(2  Sam.,  XV,  14;)  that  such  action  and  sentiment,  when  viewed 
from  interior  principles,  would  be  found  strongly  indicative  of 
the  lust  of  dominion,  of  a  tyrant's  interior  intention,  and  thence 
of  his  great  object,  end  and  aim. 

55.  But  to  return  more  particularly  to  the  stage  in  the  pro- 
gression of  Ordination  now  under  consideration;  let  it  then,  in 
the  first  place,  be  observed,  that  the  clergy  having  claimed 
ordination  as  appertaining  to  their  office  exclusively;  having 
embodied  themselves  as  distinct  from  the  laity,  and  thence, 
having  chosen  or  created  heads  to  themselves,  according  to  the 
countries  they  respectively  inhabited — (all  of  which  heads, 
however,  became  finally  merged  in  the  head  or  pope  of  Rome,) 
— went  more  wisely  to  work  than  to  attempt  to  rationally  vin- 
dicate their  claims  in  relation  to  ordination.  They,  it  seems, 
then  knew  equally  as  well  as  the  clergy  tiow  know,  that  to 
attempt  this,  were  only  to  play  a  losing  and  disastrous  game, 


Exclusive  Sight  of  Ordination.        [Note  D, 


and  as  if  a  tyrant  should  attempt  to  obtain  the  crown  of  sove- 
reignty, by  openly  vindicating  the  propriety  of  his  making 
slaves  of  all  the  people!  Therefore  it  was,  that  the  clergy, 
instead  of  thus  proceeding,  rather  set  about  exhibiting  them- 
selves as  a  superior  race  of  beings,  and  as  an  awful  order  of 
spiritual  nobility,  whose  head,  whether  patriarch  or  pope,  was 
the  representative,  the  vicar,  or  very  agent  of  God  himself,  to 
act  on  earth  in  his  room  and  stead  !  It  seems  to  have  been 
known,  that  wiien  the  minds  of  the  laity  should  become  fully 
saturated  and  impressed  with  ideas  of  priestly  ghostliness  and 
greatness,  similar  to  those  they  had  entertained  in  relation  to 
the  pagan  priests  whom  they  had  deserted,  tiie  result  would  be, 
that,  instead  of  claiming  equality,  brotherhood,  and  co-ordina- 
tion with  the  clergy,  they  would  reverently  bow  their  necks  in 
humble  submission  to  the  clerical  yoke  of  slavery  and  slb- 
ordinution;  and,  as  a  farther  result,  that  the  co-ordination 
awarded  to  the  laity  in  the  primitive  times  of  the  church  being 
by  them  once  lost  sight  of,  it  would  follow,  as  a  thing  of  order, 
that  the  clergy  would  fall  heir  to  the  crown  of  oidination  ex- 
clusively, without  ever  seeming  to  strike  a  single  blow  for  it. 

Such  being  the  case,  it  evidently  follows,  that  the  things 
genuinely  indicative  of  the  last  stage  in  tlie  progression  of 
ordination  in  falling  into  the  hands  of  the  clergy  exclusively, 
instead  of  being  things  expressly  or  formally  as  if  concerning 
ordination,  must  needs  rather  be  as  if  concerning  sentiments 
and  transactions  tending  to  exhibit  the  nature  of  that  dominion 
usurped  by  the  clergy,  which,  in  the  exercise  of  it,  resulted  in 
stripping  the  laity  of  all  power  in  ecclesiastical  matters,  whether 
in  relation  to  ordination  or  co-oidinmiun;  and,  at  the  same  time, 
of  riveting  upon  their  necks  an  iron  yoke  of  slavery  and  sub- 
ordination of  the  most  grievous  character.  Whence  it  follows, 
that  the  things  gemdne/y  indicative  of  the  stage  in  question, 
are  to  be  considered  as  duly  exhibited  by  the  exhibition  of  such 
sentiments,  maxims^  and  transactions  recorded  in  the  annals  of 
the  church,  as  manifestly  show  the  pride,  arrogance,  presump- 
tion and  domination  of  the  clergy,  on  the  one  hand;  and  by 
such  as  manifestly  show  the  spiritual  bondage,  subordination 
and  vile  slavery  of  the  laity,  on  the  other.  And  concerning 
which,  the  following  articles  are  adduced: 

1st.  That  Etisebius,  bishop  of  Pamphylia,  said,  that  bishops 
are  Christ's  familiars,  equals,  courtiers,  friends,  and  interpreters, 
to  whom  it  is  given  to  inspect  [rule]  and  superintend  the  in- 
most state  of  the  souls  of  the  laity.    (See  note  b.) 

2d.  That  'the  Donatists,  that  is,  those  who  denied  the  pro- 


Art.  3.]     Progression,  etc. — Exclusion  of  the  Laity.  53 


fessed  sanctity,  holiness  and  sjjirituality  of  the  bishops,  were 
thence  pronounced  seditious  heretics;'  and  (what  is  especially 
worthy  of  notice,  is)  that  in  proportion  as  the  clergy  became 
oppressive  and  corrupt,  they  caused  to  be  cried  down  as  sedi- 
tious heretics  all  who  had  the  hardihood  to  inveigh  against 
them.    (See  Mosheim,  vol.  I,  p.  398,  and  vol.  3,  p.  114.) 

3d.  That  'many  privileges,  which  had  formerly  belonged  to 
the  elders  and  laity,  were  now  usurped  by  the  bishops;'  and 
that  'their  first  step  teas  cm  entire  exclusion  of  the  laity  from 
all  part  in  the  administration  of  ecclesiastical  affairs  in  the 
ehurch.'  (f)    (Mosh.  vol.  1,  p.  339,  cent.  4.) 

4th.  That,  in  century  4th,  the  administration  of  the  church 
was  divided,  by  Constantine,  into  an  external  and  internal 
inspection;  and  that  the  latter,  which  was  committed  to  bishops 
and  councils,  related  to  religious  controversies,  the  form  of 
divine  worship,  the  offices  of  the  priests,  ('g-j  the  vices  of  the 
ecclesiastical  orders,  etc.;  but  that  the  external  administration, 
including  the  outward  discipline  and  states  of  the  chuich,  con- 
tests or  debates  between  bishops,  tlieir  revenues  and  possessions, 
etc.,  the  emperor  reserved  to  himself.'  (Mosheim,  vol.  1,  pp. 
340,  341.) 

5th.  That  'heathen  magistrates  were  now  put  down,  and 
Christian  presidents,  judges  and  officers  chosen  in  their  stead; 
and  that  Constantine  set  himself  to  honor  the  bishops;  where- 
fore  it  was,  that  large  and  splendid  churches  were  now  erected 
throughout  the  land  instead  of  the  old  heathen  temples.'  (Ed- 
wards' Hist,  of  Redemption,  p.  411.) 

6th.  That  'the  rites  and  institutions  of  tlie  Greeks  and  Romans 
were  adopted  with  some  slight  alterations  by  the  Catholic  bish- 
ops;' and  from  which  it  resulted,  that  'at  the  conclusion  of  the 
fourth  century  there  remained  no  more  than  a  mere  shadow  of 


(/)  If  the  clergy  now  divide  (he  affairs  of  the  church  into  civil  and 
ecclesiastical,  and  take  the  inspection  of  the  latter  upon  themselves  alone, 
do  they  not  thence  exclude  the  laity  fmm  all  part  in  the  administration 
of  the  ecclesiastical  affairs  of  the  church?  (Compare  with  the  6th  article 
of  the  constitution  of  the  Middle  Convention  of  the  New  Church.)  Cath- 
olic laymen  were  exclude.!  from  all  part  in  the  administration  of  ecclesi- 
astic affairs  in  the  days  of  Constantine;  and  priest-ridden  laymen,  wheth- 
er Catholic,  Calvinislic,  Mcthodistic,  or  otherwise,  remain  excluded  from 
such  affairs  even  to  this  day!  What  share  has  a  Mcthodistic  layman 
more  than  a  Catholic,  even  now,  in  enacting  those  man-made  laws  of 
order  whi'ch  he  is  required  to  obey  on  penalty  of  excommunication  from 
the  church? 

(§■)  The  inspection  of  the  offices  of  the  priests  necessarily  involved  in 
it  the  power  of  consecrating,  or  of  not  consecrating,  such  as  the  priests 
hood  saw  tit. 

5* 


54 


Exclusive  Right  of  Ordination-        [Note  D, 


Ihe  ancient  government  of  the  church.'  (Mosheim,  vol.  1,  p. 
384,  and  vol.  1,  p.  339.) 

7th.  That  the  clergy  now  distinguished  themselves  into  me- 
tropolitans, archbishops,  [patriarchs,]  bishops,  [exarchs,]  and 
superintendents  of  country  churches,  (h)  (Mosheim,  vol.  1, 
page  340.) 


(7i)  In  the  apostolic  church,  the  office  of  bishop  and  presbyter  [elder] 
difl'ered  but  in  the  mere  circumstance  of  age  only.  And  that  such  is 
reallj'^  the  case,  appears  from  this,  that  Paul  sent  for  the  presbyters  of 
Ephesu?,  and  said  to  them,  'take  heed  to  yourselves,  and  to  the  flock  over 
■which  the  Holy  Ghost  hath  made  you  bishops;  (see  Acts,  ss,  28;)  and 

especially  from  these  words, '  unto  all  the  saints  which  are  at  Pbi- 

lippi,  with  the  biskoi)s  and  deacons.'  (See  Phil.,  i,  1.)  From  which  it  is 
evident,  that  the  presbyters  of  Ephesus  not  only  were  bishops,  but  also, 
that  both  at  Ephesus  and  Philippi  there  were  more  bishops  than  one; 
between  whom  it  were  impossible  there  should  be  distinctions  of  rank, 
or  grade,  or  otherwise,  excepting,  as  before  stated,  from  the  mere  circum- 
stance of  age.  But,  that  by  presbyters  [elders]  i?aul  means  nothing  more 
or  less  than  bishops,  becomes  quite  evident  from  comparing  the  5th,  6tb, 
and  7th  verses  of  the  first  chapter  of  Titus.  Thus,  in  tlie  5th,  he  says  to 
Titus,  'Ordain  elders  in  every  city;' — in  the  6th,  he  teaches  what  kind 
of  persons  ought  to  be  ordained  as  elders;  and,  in  the  7ih,  observes,  'For 
a  BISHOP  must  be  blameless  as  the  steward  of  God.'  And  not  only  so, 
but  Peter  also  teaches,  that  presbyters  and  bishops  are  of  the  same  grade; 
inasmuch  as  he  exhorts  the  presbyters  to  fulfill  the  otTice  of  bishops — vir- 
tually to  fulfill  the  duties  for  which  they  were  set  apart  and  ordained. 
(See  1  Peter,  V,  1,  2.) 

Sutclifie,  in  his  Ecclesiastical  History,  observes,  that  'in  the  course  of 
years,  the  senior  or  presiding  bishop  was  called  bisliop,  and  that  the 
younger  bishop=  [elders]  that  assisted  him,  if  he  had  any  assistants,  were 
called  presbyters;  and  these,  with  the  deacons,  were  called  the  bishops, 
clerks  or  clergy.  Hence  the  appellation  of  bisliop  and  presbyter,  which 
heretofore  had  been  given  promiscuously,  now  became  appropriate.' 
But  the  clergy  were  not  content  even  with  the  distinctions  of  bishop, 
presbyter,  and  deacon;  for  when  disputes  arose,  it  was  usual  for  the  bishop 
of  a  small  town  to  ask  advice  of  the  bishop  of  the  metropolis,  who  had 
many  rlerks  or  clergymen.  Hence,  as  soon  as  the  bishops  of  great  cities 
became  invested  with  civil  authority,  they  claimed  the  right  of  advising 
and  controlling .'  (See  pp.  109,110.  See  also,  the  foregoing,  second  stage, 
art.  2Gth,  n.  30,  31,  32,  33,  36.)  But,  in  confirmation  of  which,  WickhfTo 
also  taught,  that  in  the  primitive  church  there  were  but  two  orders  of 
clerks,  clergymen,  or  ministers,  namely,  presbyters  [elders]  and  deacons; 
and  tliat  the  duties  of  the  former  were  to  minister  to  the  spiritual,  and 
tlic  latter  to  the  natural  wants  and  necessities  of  the  church; — that,  in 
these  times,  there  were  no  such  distinctions  us  popes,  archbishops,  bishops, 
etc.;'  [or  as  we  now  should  say — as  bisho|)S,  presiding  elders,  ciders,  dea- 
cons, local  elders,  local  deacons,  preacheis,  exhortcrs,  etc. ;]  'but,  that 
these  are  some  of  the  many  inventions  sought  out  by  man.'  And  finally, 
that  'whatsoever  the  pope  commands,  which  he  cannot  clearly  deduce 
from  the  scriptures,  is  to  be  counted  iis  heresy  and  not  to  be  obeyed  ;  and, 
consequently,  that  whoever  enters  into  any  private  religion,  [whatsoever 
it  be,]  is  thence  rendered  more  unapt  and  unable  to  observe  the  com- 
mandments of  God.'    (See  Gillespie.) 


Art.  3.]         Clerical  Pride  and  Presumption. 


63 


8lh.  Thai,  'in  the  patriarchal  order  the  metropolitan  bishop 
of  Rome  was  the  first  in  rank,  [of  the  highest  degree,]  having 
a  pre-eminence  over  all  the  other  primates  or  patriarchs;  and, 
that  this  was  owing  to  tlie  circumstance  of  grandeur  and  opu- 
lence, by  which  mortals,  for  the  most  part,  form  their  ideas  of 
pre-eminence  and  dignity.'    (Mosh.,  vol.  1,  p.  342.) 

9th.  That  'the  patriarchs  contended  with  each  other  in  the 
most  scandalous  manner,  concerning  the  extent  of  their  re- 
spective jurisdictions,  while  they  trampled  upon  the  rights  of 
the  laity  and  inferior  ministers,  imitating,  in  tiieir  manner  of 
living,  the  voluptuousness  and  arrogance  of  magistrates  and 
princes.'    (Mosh.,  vol.  1,  p.  347.) 

lOlh.  That  all  the  wealth,  iionor  and  advantages  bestowed 
upon  tlie  clergy,  by  Constantine  and  other  emperors  after  him, 
was  only  answered  in  return  by  a  proportionate  quantity  of 
vice  and  luxury,  of  pride  and  presumption.'  (Mosheim,  vol.  1, 
p.  34G.) 

11th.  'J'hat  'Martin,  bishop  of  Tours,  at  a  public  entertain- 
ment, asserted  and  maintained,  tliateven  the  dignity  of  a  presby- 
ter was  superior  to  that  of  the  e:r.peror.'    (Mosh.,  vol.  2,  p.  29.) 

12lh.  That  'the  clergy  established  courts,  in  whicii  every 
question  relating  to  their  own  character,  duly  and  function  was 
tried.  It  was  alleged  to  be  impious  to  try  tlie  clergy  by  the 
same  laws  by  which  the  profane  laity  should  be  tried;  or  to 
subject  the  clergy  to  the  same  punishment  that  might  justly  be 
inflicted  on  the  profane  lait)-.'  (i)  (See  Rob.  Charles  V,  pp. 
34,  38.) 


(i)  'Tliat  which  hath  been  i? that  which  shall  be  again;  and  there  is 
no  new  thing  under  the  sun.'  (Sec  Ecclesiastes.)  Is  it  not,  even  now, 
deemed  impious,  by  (he  Methodists,  to  suppose  that  the  clerjty  and  laity 
should  be  tried,  wlien  charged  with  guilt,  by  the  same  kw]  Or,  why  is 
it,  that  in  their  ecclesiastical  code  we  find  one  law  by  which  to  try  the 
bishop,  and  another  by  which  to  try  the  laity]  In  the  law  by  wliich  a 
Cathoiic  bishop  was  anciently  to  be  tried,,  it  was  provided,  that  he  might 
himself  choose  twelve  /toxM/ judges  to  judge  of  his  cause;  and,  in  the  law 
by  which  a  Metliodistic  bishop  is  to  be  tried,  it  is  provided,  that  he  may 
virtually  choose  six  out  of  the  nine  that  are  to  try  his  cause,  and  to  judge 
of  the  things  laid  to  his  charge.  But  ihe  law  by  which  a  Methodistic 
layman  is  to  be  tried,  requires  that  he  shall  be  arraigned  before  the  bish- 
op's vicar,  that  is,  before  one  who  has  agreed  not  to  act  according  to  his 
own  will,  whether  as  touching  reading,  meditation,  prayer,  preaching,  or 
any  ottier  species  of  labor  in  the  Lord's  vineyard  ;  but  alone  according  to 
the  will,  the  judgment,  and  the  advice  thence  of  his  bishop;  and,  who 
ma}'  permit  the  fellow  members  of  the  accused  to  try  the  cause;  or  may, 
not  only  select  from  the  members  such  as  he  sees  fit  for  that  purpose,  but 
also  may  debar  the  accused  from  uttering  a  word,  by  the  way  of  vindica- 
tion, or  in  his  own  defence!  Not  only  so,  but  who  may,  in  case  the  judg- 
ment given  be  not  one  with  his  own,  arrest  it,  and  bring  up  the  cause  to 


56 


Exclusive  Right  of  Ordination.        [Note  D, 


13th.  That,  so  early  as  A.  D.  350,  'fort)'  good  laymen  were 
scourged  with  rods,  at  one  lime,  by  their  bishops,  because  they 
would  not  communicate  with  the  ivolf  Georgias.'  That  is, 
Georgias  was  an  Arian.    (See  Gillespie.) 

be  re-triod  before  another  tribunal.  The  laws,  of  which  we  are  speak- 
ing, require  that  laymen  bo  ex(  oiumuniciited — not  for  immoral  condnct — 
not  for  breaking  one  cf  the  greatest,  or  even  of  the  least  of  God's  com- 
matidments — but  for  the  alone  breaking  of  the  will  and  commands  of  the 
clergy,  as  laid  in  their  form  of  DJscirLiNE ;  whilst,  in  relation  to  the 
clergy  theinsclve=,  it  is  graciously  provided,  that  they  {infallible  or  fallible 
only)  shall  not  only  walk  after  the  imaginations  of  their  own  heart,  choose 
their  own  w;iy,  walk  in  the  ways  of  their  own  devising,  and  thus  direct 
their  own  step?,  but,  at  the  san:e  time,  enforce  it  upon  the  laity,  on  pain 
of  excommunication,  to  step  where  tliey  step,  and  walk  as  they  see  fit  to 
direct:    (See  Meth.  Dis.,  ))p.  2:2,  39,  1:25,  93,  85.) 

But  the  principle  from  which  the  Alethodistic  laws  in  question  necessa- 
rily flow,  is  not  alone  peculiar  to  the  Blethodists ;  inasmuch  as  Calvinistic 
ecclesiastics  in  their  laws  have  provided,  that  'Presbyteries  sliould  be  ex- 
tremely careful  of  involving  in  the  shame  and  severity  of  a  judicial  pro- 
cess, those  irregulaiiliis  of  l/ie  clerfiy  wliich  appear  to  be  merely  acts  of 
infirmity;  especially,  when  their  errors  do  not  strike  at  the  vitals  of  doc- 
trinal Godliness;  (see  Cons.  Asso.  Kef  Church  ;)  or,  what  is  essentially 
the  same,  that  'A  miin'stcr  is  not  to  be  excomniunicalcd,  nor  even  de- 
posed from  his  otficc,  for  any  violations  of  the  law  of  God,  unless  they  are 
what  the  SjTiod  jiidgc  notorious;  nor  for  any  errors,  unless  they  are  such 
as  the  Synod  judge  do  unli  nge  the  christian  profission;'  (see  the  Testi- 
mony of  the  Associate  Syncul,  p.  54;)  and,  that  calumniators  of  minis- 
ters [of  the  clergy]  are  to  i)c  severely  censured.  (See  Directory.)  Whence, 
who  is  he  that  cannot  sec,  that  the  making  of  such  provisions,  whether  in 
conference,  convention,  or  synod,  is  essentially  the  same  thing  with  the 
clergy's  establishing  courts,  wherciii  every  question  relative  to  their  own 
character,  duty  and  function  should  be  tried;  (compare  with  Art.  11,  of 
the  Constitution  of  the  Middle  Convention,  also  with  Art.  3,  of  that  of  the 
AVestern  Convention  of  the  New  Church;)  and,  at  the  same  tiuje,  essen- 
tially the  same  as  to  allege,  tliat  it  were  impious  lo  suppose  that  the  clergy 
and  laity  shouki  l)0  tried  by  the  same  laws?  To  which  let  it  be  added, 
that  the  principle  in  question  is  that  same  partial,  wicked  and  ungodly 
principle,  grounded  and  rooted  in  the  love  of  self  and  lust  of  dominion 
thence,  which,  operating  in  the  hearts  of  predestinarlans,  causes  l]^em  to 
take  up  the  A^nd  and  vnin  conceit,  that  the  Lord,  who  is  no  respecter  of 
persons — who  respects  not  the  persons  of  princes,  and  who  will  bring  every 
idle  word  and  thoiisht  into  judgment — nevcrtheh  ss  will,  on  the  daj-  that 
he  shall  judge  the  world  in  equity,  divide  the  fallen  children  of  Adam  into 
two  companies,  the  reprobate  and  the  elect,  and  that  the  former  shall  be 
judged  by  one  law,  and  the  latter  by  another;  the  former,  according  to  a 
law  involving  in  it  things  tliey  should  have  ilonc,  but  have  left  undone 
for  want  of  power  to  break  through  the  powerful  ioM/irfiVi^s  of  Providence, 
by  which  the  decrees  of  God  (involving  that  every  thing  that  coraes  to 
pass,  sin  not  excepted,  was  foreordained  of  God  to  come  to  pass)  are  exe- 
cuted I — but  the  latter,  according  to  a  supposed  law  involving  in  it  that 
God  had  chosen  them,  in  eternity,  to  be  heirs  of  heaven  without  foresight 
of  faith  or  good  works;  and,  as  a  means  to  th.at  end,  had  performed  all 
things  which  are  literally  required  of  all  to  perform,  involving  good  works, 
faith  and  repentance,  in  their  room  and  stead;  and,  according  to  a  su- 


Art.  3.]        The  Pope's  Besponsibility,  fF/iere. 


57 


14lli.  That,  A.  D.  451,  in  the  council  of  Chalccdon,  it  was 
decreed  thai  the  bishop  of  Rome  should  have  tlic  supreme  au- 
thority; (Mosh.,  vol.  2,  p.  29;)  and,  tiial  'the  title  o(  universal 
bishop  [bishop  of  bishops]  was  eagerly  embraced  and  greedily 
acce|)ied.'  (kj    (See  Gillespie,  Cent.  G.) 

15th.  That,  in  century  7lh,  a  charter  was  obtained  from  the 
emperor,  granting;  that  'the  cimrch  of  Rome  should  be  ihe  head; 
and  thence  called  tiie  supreme  head  of  all  the  other  cluirciies;' 
and  tiiat  'about  this  time  the  consent  of  the  laity,  in  the  election 
of  bishoj)s,  was  deemed  of  but  little  importance.'  (Gillespie.) 

IGtii.  That  it  was  enacted  in  council,  that  'the  high  priest 
should  be  judged  by  no  man;'  that  'the  bishop  is  ies))onsible 
only  at  the  tribunal  of  God;'  (I)  (Gilles,  on  Cent.  G;)  that 

posed  law,  involving  in  it  that  the  elect  being  nrqiiiUed,  in  consequence 
of  the  things  they  should  have  done  being  done  for  them  by  another,  in 
their  room  and  stead,  and,  in  consequoncc  of  the  merit  of  doing  thing?, 
to  wliich  they  were  always  averse,  and  winch  they  never  <lid, being  never- 
theless irnpntod  to  theui,  will  then  be  gravely  seated  wish  (>hrist,  as  his 
as=es5ors  in  jiidg/nont  against  the  reprobate,  and  exclnini  amen  to  the 
sentence  by  which  they  are  doomed  to  ai\  eternity  of  torments  in  the  firo 
of  belli  (See  Confcs.  of  Faith,  on  Decrees,  on  Providence,  etc.,  and  the 
Assem.  Catechism,  part  1,  184,  185,  186.)  From  all  which,  it  becomes 
evident,  that  the  partial  anil  ungodly  principle  acted  on  by  the  i\!i'th- 
odistic  clergy,  as  manifested  in  their  ecclesiastical  laws  above  noticed,  is, 
by  the  Calvinistic  clergy,  not  only  acted  on  in  relation  to  their  ecclesias- 
tical laws,  but  also  is  exhibited  by  them  as  that  principle  upon  which  the 
Lord,  the  Judge  of  all  the  caith,  will  actin  the  Day  of  Judgment.  Whence, 
also,  the  Metbodistic  and  Calvinistic  clergy,  inasmuch  as  they  hokl  the 
principle  of  jjartiality  in  question,  (and  which  is  manifestly  groiindcd  in 
the  love  of  self  and  lust  of  dominion  thence.)  in  common,  do,  at  least  so 
far  as  (hat  principle  is  concerned,  strike  haiuls  together  like  lull  brothers,  ■ 
became  surety  for,  and  justify  eacli  other.  But  that  Methodism  and  Cal- 
vinism arc  latently  or  essentially  the  same,  may  at  any  time  be  dcmcn-i 
strated  from  other  principles.' 

(k)  There  is  a  grcxit  gulf  (ixed  between  men  of  principle  v.  horn  ofljcea 
want,  and  men  of  no  principle  who  want  offices.    Those  who  would  em-  • 
ploy  power  for  the  good  of  others,  deserve  it,  but  do  not  lust  after  it ;  and 
those  who  would  employ  it  for  the  good  of  themselves  alone,  Just  after  it, 
and  greedily  accept  it,  but  do  not  deserve  it. 

{t)  To  this  decree,  says  Gillespie,  it  was  objected,  that  'Wilh  the  privi- 
leges of  St.  Peter's  chair,  popes  might  sin  and  do  what  the)"  please.' 
Before  this  insane  decree  of  the  clergy  took  place,  namely,  in  tlie  reign  of 
Justinian,  a  prevailing  sentiment  was,  that  'The  emperor  should  be  re- 
leased from  the  laws,  and  exalted  above  human  restraints;  and,  that  his 
own  conscience  should  be  the  sacred  measure  of  his  conduct.'  'What 
interest  or  passion,'  exclaimed  Theophilus,  'can  reach  the  sublime  eleva- 
tion of  the  monarch?  Is  he  not  already  master  of  the  lives  and  fortunes 
of  his  subjects;  and  arc  not  those  who  have  incurred  his  displeasure  al- 
rearly  numbered  with  the  dead?  Tribonian  alleged,  that  he  was  unwor- 
thy of  such  a  prince  as  Justinian,  and  thence  affected  a  pious  fear,  that 
he,  like  Elijah,  would  be  snatched  into  the  air,  and  translated  alive  to  thu 
apansjons  of  glory.'  (Gibbon,  vol.  3,  pp.  ]60,  lf>3.)    But,  neither  wa5  this 


58  Exclusive  Right  of  Ordination.  [NoleD, 


God's  tribunal  and  the  pope's  are  the  same;'  that  'the  pope  and 
Christ  make  one  consistory;'  and  that  'laws  made  by  laymea 
do  not  bind  the  clergy.'  (in)    (Brownlee,  pp.  310  to  312.) 


a  new  tiling  under  tlie  sun;  for,  Iodj-  before  the  time  of  Justinian,  the 
moJest  Virgil  had  gravely  inquired  of  Augustus  CsBsar,  what  sort  of  a 
Divinity  he  would  become  in  the  other  v/orld  ? — that  is,  whether  he  in- 
tended to  rule  the  heavens,  or  the  vasty  deep,  or  the  world  below  I  (Lam- 
priere's  Class.  Die .) 

From  the  things  here  ailduced,  the  odious  and  abhorrent  nature  of  the 
spirit  which  dictated  the  clerical  decree  in  question  becomes  manifest. 
It  is,  as  referred  to  the  people  or  laitj",  a  spirit  of  base  sycophancy  and 
fulsome  flattery  ;  and,  as  referred  to  such  as  have  obtained  dominion  over 
the  people,  a  spirit  of  insanity,  pulling  them  up  in  the  fond  conceit,  that 
they  are  indeed  gods  who  /lure,  in  merc3',  come  down  upon  Vie  earth  in  the 
shape  of  mm.  In  Rollin,  it  was  a  spirit  of  sycophancy  causing  him  to 
pronounce  the  following  sentiments  just  and  laudable,  namely:  that  'The 
king  is  the  image  and  vicegerent  of  the  Deity;'  that  'the  king  is  placed 
on  the  throne  by  the  hands  of  the  Deity,  and  clothed  with  his  authority 
and  power;'  and  that  'God  has  made  every  thing  subject  to  princes,  to 
put  them  in  a  condition  of  fearing  none  but  him.'  That  'God's  design  in 
making  them  inde|)endeni,  [of  the  people,]  was  to  give  them  a  more  vio- 
lent attachment  to  justice,  that  they  might  not  excuse  themselves  on  pre- 
tence of  want  of  ability  or  power;  and  therefore,  that  God  has  delegated 
his  whole  power  unto  them.  Nay,  that  kings  are  the  depositories  of  justice 
and  order.'  This  is  as  if  it  had  been  said,  that  the  principles  of  justice, 
of  law  and  order  are  embodied  in  kings,  whose  duty  it  is  to  carry  them 
out.  (Concerning  which  latter  sentiment,  see  n.  53,  54,  and  Rollin's  An- 
cient History,  vol.  2,  pp.  196,  198.)  The  same  spirit  of  which  we  are 
s;)eaking,  operating  in  James  II.  of  England,  caused  him  insanely  to  con- 
tend for  the  Divine  Right  of  kings;  and  thence,  that  a  man  might  no 
more  say  what  kings  may  or  ni;\y  not  do,  than  he  might  say  what  God 
hinwelfniay  or  may  not  do,  wlio  had  ordained  ihera.  And,  operating  in 
the  clergy,  even  at  the  present  day,  causes  them  insanely  to  declare,  that 
their  right,  power  and  authority  to  teach  and  rule,  are/ro;?i  on  high,  in- 
dependently of  the  laity.  (Compare  Precursor,  vol.  iJ,  p.  10.)  Such,  then, 
is  tills  abhorrent  spirit,  (hat  its  influence  is  vigor  to  the  despot,  civil  or  ec- 
clesiastical; but,  worse  than  the  deadly  samiel  of  the  desert,  it  is  servile 
sycophancy,  immediately  followed  by  torpor  and  death,  to  the  people 
and  laity  ! 

(m)  Tliat  which  hath  been  is  that  which  shall  he  again,  yea,  even  now 
is;  for,  who  is  he  that  will  open  his  eyes  but  may  see,  that  the  Melhodist- 
ic,  as  well  as  other  clergy  ol'  the  old  church — who,  like  Lucifer,  say  in 
their  hearts,  'we  will  seat  ourselves  on  the  mount  of  the  conffrrgalion,  and 
thence  be  like  the  Most  High;  (see  Isaiah,  xiv,  13;)  who  have  thence 
constituted  themselves  into  a  general  synod,  conference  or  convention, 
whence  they  may  issue  forth  their  mandates  or  bulls,  in  the  sliape  of  ec- 
clesiastical laws,  involving  even  articles  of  faith,  to  thousands  and  tens 
of  thousands  of  submissive,  servile,  sycophantic  and  superstitious  laymen, 
Iind,  if  possible,  to  the  whole  world — must,  of  necessity,  say  in  their 
hearts,  with  the  clergy  of  the  papal  church  in  her  darkest  times,  '/aic* 
made  by  laymen  do  not  bind  the  clergy?^  As  for  example,  a  Methodis'io 
bishop  can  address  himself  to  his  ^ul)jects  (who  are  in  rank  many  degrees 
iil)0vc  the  laity)  as  if  they  were  his  very  slaves,  namely :  he  can  speak  to 
them  on  this  wise,  'Will  you  reverently  obey  them  to  whom  the  charge 


Art.  3.]     Progress,  etc.'— Bishops,  How  Served. 


59 


17lh.  That  it  was  enacted  in  council,  so  early  as  tlie  year 
399,  that 'men  in  spiritual  offices  should  not  be  entangled  with 
secular  business;'  (n)  and,  in  401,  that  'bishops  should  not  en- 
tangle themselves  wiih  household  afi'jirs;'  and  also,  in  the  7ili 
century,  that  'bishops  should  not  suffer  themselves  to  be  served 
by  laymen;  but  that  their  own  elders  should  be  dispensalois  of 
their  household  affairs;'  seeing  it  was  found  to  be  written, 
^plough  not  an  ox  and  an  ass  together.'' 

18th.  That,  in  century  6lh,  it  was  decreed  in  council,  that 
'the  laity  should  do  reverence  to  the  clergy  by  uncovering  their 
heads;'  and  that  'laymen  on  liorseback  should  aligiil  in  tiie 
presence  of  the  bishop.'  (o)    (See  Gillespie.) 

and  government  over  you  is  committetl  V  To  \vhich  the  ansiver  expected 
is, 'I  will  endeiivor  to  do  so,  the  Lord  being  my  helper!'  (Dis.,  p.  I:i5.) 
Whence,  the  bishop  can  say  to  such,  'Remember!  n  Me'ihodist  preacher 
is  to  mind  every  point, great  and  small,  [not  in  the  Word,  but]  in  the  Meth- 
odist Discipline!' — nay,  can  say,  '■act  in  all  tilings  not  accoriliiig  to  \oiir 
own  wills.'  He  can  require  of  such,  that  their  time  be  employed  as  tho 
bishop  directs,  whether  in  visiting,  in  reading,  in  meditation,  in  pr;iyer, 
or  in  preaching;  and,  that,  in  laboring  in  the  iMethodist  church,  (which 
they  call  the  Lord's  vineyard,)  they  must  do  that  part  of  the  work  which 
the  bishop  judges  <o  be  most  for  the  glory  of  him  whose  servants  they  are! 
(Sec  Dis.,  pp.  .S8,  39.)  Whence,  let  it  be  asked,  if  the  bishop  be  thus  lord 
and  master  of  those  who  are  many  degrees  above  the  laity,  must  he  not, 
of  necessity,  scorn  with  the  utmost  contempt  the  idea  of  the  laity  (;vho 
are  the  subruissive  subjects  of  his  very  slaves)  framing  and  enacting  laws 
1^  which  to  bind  bishops,  or  such  as  have  committed  their  souls  to  their 
bishop's  keeping,  as  above  suggested?  From  all  wliich  it  becomes  mani- 
fest, that  the  same  principle  operating  in  the  papal  clefgy,  causins;  them 
to  pass  the  decree  in  question,  is  yet  extant  in  the  consummated  church, 
and  especially  in  the  Methodit-tic  department  of  it;  and  that  nothing  hin- 
ders the  ultimation  of  said  principle  in  relation  to  civil  laws  and  govern- 
ment now,  similar  to  what  it  was  in  the  darkest  period  of  the  reign  of 
Antichrist,  excepting  the  want  of  length  in  the  civil  chain  ! 

(n)  The  deviation  of  the  papal  clergy,  as  expressed  by  this  decree — 
as  well  as  of  their  reformed  descendants,  expressed  variously — from  the 
principles  of  the  primitive  church,  in  relation  to  the  same  subject,  may  be 
Been  from  various  sources.  Paul,  the  great  apostle  of  the  Gentile?,  was  a 
tent-maker,  and  his  ownhands  ministered  to  his  necessities.  He  considered 
himself  rewarded,  by  making  the  gospel  without  charge;  but  the  papal 
clergy  and  their  reformed  descendants  do  not  consider  themselves  reward- 
e<l,  unless  the  gospel  yields  them  a  handsome  income;  that  is,  unless  it 
be  wiUi  charge — the  charge  of  a  goodly  weight  of  silver  or  gold  to  them 
who  hear  it!  Eusebius  informs  us,  that  the  grandsons  of  Judas,  who  was 
brother  to  the  Lord,  (according  to  the  flesh,)  were  bishops;  and  that  they 
were  called  before  the  emperor  Domitian,  who,  like  Herod,  had  become 
apprehensive  for  the  safety  ot  his  kingdom  and  throne,  and  who  therefore 
asked  these  bishops  what  possessions  they  held,  and  was  answered,  that 
they  both  possessed  about  39  acres  in  all,  from  which  by  their  own  labor, 
they  raised  their  taxes  and  supported  themselves;  and,  finally,  that  when 
the  emperor  had  looked  upon  their  hands,  and  had  seen  their  hardness 
and  callosity,  he  dismissed  them  without  injury,  as  men  from  whom  no 
harm  or  danger  was  to  be  apprehended. 


60 


Exclusive  Rigid  of  Ordination.         [Note  D, 


19lh.  Tiiat,  in  century  7ih,  it  was  decreed  in  a  council  of 
biihops,  that  'a  bishop  should  not  be  drawn  in  a  coacli,  by  his 
deacons,  when  he  carried  tlie  reliqucs  of  saints;'  that  'the  elders 
should,  at  all  limes,  be  ready  to  give  an  account  to  their  bish- 
ops respectively  of  their  ordei  of  saying  masses;'  and  that 
'bishops  should  not  punish  their  elders  with  stripes,  as  for- 
merly.' (p)    (Gillespie's  Eccles.  Hist.) 

20ih.  Tliat,  in  century  7th,  'a  girdle  of  seals,  [keys,]  nameljs 
1  binding,  2  loosing,  3  opening,  4  shutting,  5  sealing,  6  reign- 
ing, 7  judging,  was  presented  to  pope  Urcanus;  and,  about  the 
same  lime,  a  decree  passed,  that  the  church  should  not  put 
away  her  bisiiop  during  his  life:  seeing  Paul  had  said,  that  'the 
wife  is  bound  to  her  husband  as  long  as  he  liveth.'  (q)  (See 
Gillespie.) 

(o)  This  decree  appears  to  be  a  remarkable  ultiination  cf  that  false 
principle  impos('i\  on  (he  laity,  namely,  that  they  njust  alight  or  come 
down  from  the  support  afTortleil  by  their  own  understanding  of  the  Word, 
[horse,]  so  as,  in  the  depths  of  hnrrjility,  to  receive  their  faitli  at  the 
hands  cf  the  clergy  implicitly,  and  independently  of  either  their  reason 
or  understanding.  Caniinal  'J'oletus  said,  that  'if  a  layman  believed  his 
bishop  whilst  proposing  a  heretical  tenet,  such  belief  \vas  meritorious;' 
and  cardinal  Cusanus  alleged,  that  'irrational  obedience  was  perfect  obe- 
dience!'' 

(p)  Says  Gibbon,  the  doiniiiion  of  priests  is  nio?t  odious  to  a  liberal 
spirit.  Whence  it  is  not  strange  that  tiie  clergy  should  esteem  Gibbon  no 
better  than  an  infidel  or  heretic;  especially'such  of  the  modern  clergy  a^ 
still  adhere  to  many  of  the  cjremonies  and  customs  of  the  papal  church. 
But,  one  will  here  perhaps  say,  are  there  indeed  any  of  the  clergy  of  the 
reformed  or  prolestant  chuvches,  who  have  not  yet  cast  awaj  every  rag 
of  the  mother  of  abominations,  as  'a  mi'nstruous  cloth,  saying,  get  theo 
hence !'  In  answer  to  which,  besides  rcl'erring  to  notes  rf,  c,  h,  r,  Z,  it  may 
be  observed,  that  it  was  decreed  in  council  by  tiie  papal  clergy,  that  the 
high  priest  should  communicate  ^first  liimself  before  the  altar,  then  the 
clergy  within  the  quae,  and  aficr  this  the  \aity  ivilhoul  the  quiie;  (see 
Gillespie's  Eccl.  Hist.;)  and  also,  that  it  has  been  decreed  in  conference 
by  llio  Metho(li=tic  clergy,  that  'the  minister  shall  ^ir^Z  receive  the  com- 
munion in  both  kinds  himself,  am]  then  deliver  the  same  to  the  other  min- 
inistcrs,  in  like  manner,  and  after  that,  to  the  people  [laity]  into  their 
hands.'  Whence,  the  siiliilarity,  so  far  as  the  outward  ceremony  in  the 
case  adduced  is  concerned,  is  manifest.  But  again,  it  was  decreed  in 
council  by  the  Catholic  clergy,  that  eldrrs  should  receive  from  iheir  bish- 
ops an  official  book,  [the  book  of  discipline,]  to  the  end  that  through  ig- 
norance they  might  do  nothiug  amiss.  (See  Gillespie  on  the  7th  Century.) 
And  it  is  dccrecil  in  conference  by  the  Methodisiic  clergy,  that,  to  one 
received  into  full  connection  with  ihem,  the  book  of  discipline  is  to  be 
given,  inscribed  thus:  long  as  you  freely  consent  to,  and  earnestly  tcalk 
[not  by  the  laws  of  order  laid  in  the  Word,  but]  by  these  rules,  tvc  shall 
rejoice  to  acknowledge  you  as  a  felloiv-lahorer.''  (See  Dis.,  p.  41.)  Here, 
again,  the  similarity  is  evidently  striking;  but  because  it  is  foreign  to  the 
special  object  of  this  work  to  trace  similarities  between  the  two  churches 
in  question,  therefore,  let  what  has  been  already  suggested  suffice  for  the 
present. 


Art.  3.]     The  Papal  Girdle  and  Seals,  or  Keys. 


61 


21st.  That  pope  Innocent  III.  said,  'The  church,  my 
spouse,  is  not  married  to  me,  without  bringing  me  in  some- 


(ij)  Say  we  not  well,  when  we  say,  that  the  geunine  knowledge  of  the 
Word  became  utterly  lost  in  the  night  of  the  reign  of  Antichrist?  The 
wife  is  bound  to  her  husband  as  long  as  he  liveth  ;  therefore,  she  is  bound 
to  her  bishop,  good  or  evil,  sane  or  insane,  as  long  as  he  liveth  I  This 
were  for  tlie  church  to  take  the  bishop  in  ihe  room  and  slead  of  the  Lord 
himself,  to  whom  alone  she  should  be  conjoined.  Whence,  it  is  no  strange 
thing,  that  the  church,  conceived  as  conjoined  to  bishops  and  popes,  and 
obedient  to  their  behests,  instead  of  to  the  Lord,  and  in  obedience  to  His 
Word,  should  receive  the  appellation  of  the  'whore  of  Babylon,'  and  the 
'mother  of  harlots  and  abominations!' 

But,  besides  tliis,  in  the  article  in  question,  the  girdle  of  seven  seals,  or 
keys,  spoken  of  as  being  presented  to  the  pope,  must  needs  arrest  our  at- 
tention. It  is  evident,  that  by  this  girdle  and  the  seals  thereof,  it  was 
designed  to  represent  to  the  outward  senses  the  power  of  binding,  loosing, 
reigning,  judging,  etc.,  claimed  by  the  clergy,  with  the  pope  at  their  head, 
and  vainly  supposed  to  be  transmitted  to  them,  from  on  high,  through 
Peter,  in  succession.  This  girdle,  then,  with  the  keys  appended  to  it, 
was  designed  to  represent  the  keys  of  the  kingdom  of  heaven,  as  being 
transmitted  through  Peter  to  the  clergy  in  succession.  The  falseness  of 
the  principle  thus  represented,  it  is  not  our  present  object  to  investigate. 
The  object  at  present  rather  is,  to  enquire  whether  there  be  any,  claiming 
to  be  protcstants  and  reformed,  who  have  nevertheless  adopted,  not  the 
outward  girdle  and  keys,  but  the  odious  and  abhorrent  principle  thence 
designed  to  be  represented.  And  first,  have  the  Methodists  adopted  this 
principle?  Let  us  first  suppose  that  their  church  is,  as  they  say  it  i«,  the 
church  of  God,  thus  the  kingdom  of  God  upon  (he  earth,  and  then  we 
shall  seel  For,  if  it  can  be  made  to  appear  that  they  either  open  or  shut 
the  door  of  the  church  of  God  upon  earth,  according  to  their  own  judg- 
ment or  will,  as  laid  in  their  code  of  laws,  instead  of  exhibiting  the  dit  ine 
truths  of  the  Word,  (and  which  alone  are  the  keys  of  the  kingdom  of 
heaven,)  to  the  end  that  these  (divine  truths)  may  of  themselves,  accord- 
ing- to  t/ieir  reception  and  oiicration  thence,  open  or  shut  the  door  of  the 
church  and  kingdom  of  heaven  on  earth  to  the  children  of  men,  then  can 
it  also  be  easily  made  to  appear  that  they  have  adopted  the  very  principle, 
odious  as  it  maj-  be,  which  was  designed  to  be  represented  by  the  girdle 
of  seven  seals;  inasmuch  as  it  invi/lves  in  it,  that  the  pope,  or  what 
amounts  to  the  same  thing,  a  council  or  conference  composed  of  the  cler- 
gy, may  not  only  open  and  shut  the  door  of  the  church  or  kingdom  of 
God  on  earth,  but  also  judge  and  reign  therein,  according  to  their  own 
will  and  judgment,  as  expressed  in  ecclesiastical  laws  which  they  have 
hatched  out,  and  thence  set  up  and  anthoritativel3'  established. 

But  that  it  may  ajipear  that  the  Methodistic  clergy  take  it  upon  them- 
selves not  only  to  open  and  shut  the  door  of  the  church  of  God,  (supposing 
their  church  to  be  the  church  of  God,)  but  also  to  judge  and  reign  therein 
according  to  their  own  will  and  judgment,  as  expressed  in  their  own  code 
of  laws  devised  and  established  by  themselves,  it  is  but  necessary  to  refer 
to  the  Methodist  Discipline  itself,  containing  those  laws.  And,  by  re- 
ferring to  page  85,  we  find,  that  the  door  of  the  church  is  to  be  shut,  and 
entrance  into  the  kingdom  of  heaven  upon  earth  denied  to  all  who  violate 
the  will  of  the  clergy,  as  expressed  in  their  commandments,  the  com- 
mandments of  men,  laid  in  their  discipline,  however  much  tliose  'may 
do  the  commandments  of  the  Lord,  that  they  may  have  right  to  the  tree 

6 


62 


Exclusive  Bight  of  Ordination^       [Note  D,- 


thing;' — 'others  may  [from  this  marriage]  say  of  me,  next  to 
God,  'out  of  his  fulness  have  we  received.' '  (See  Brown- 
lee,  page  40.) 


of  life,  and  enter  in  through  the  gates  into  the  city.''  But,  again ;  that  the 
Methodisiic  clergy  take  it  upon  themselves  to  judge  the  church,  may  be 
seen  from  opening  the  book  of  Discipline  at  almost  any  page ;  nay,  it  is  a 
book  full  of  the  judgments  of  the  clergy,  whether  in  relation  to  things  which 
they  have  adjudged  necessary  to  be  believed,  to  be  done,  or  to  be  left 
undone.  But,  being  only  the  judgments  and  statutes  of  fallible  men,  they 
are  therefore  not  the  judgments  and  statutes  laid  in  the  Word,  by  v.hicli 
the  world  is  to  be  judged  in  the  last  day.  And,  what  is  remarkable,  the 
jufigments  of  the  clergy  in  question  are  not  even  said  to  be  founded  on 
the  Word,  or  any  thing  therein  contained ;  but  only  on  the  experience  of 
years,  and  on  observations,  and  on  remarks  made  on  ancient  and  modern 
churches.  (See  p.  5.)  Whence,  the  judgment  of  the  Methodisiic  clergj-, 
in  relation  to  the  church,  proceeding  only  from  the  observation  and  expe- 
rience of  men;  and  the  establishment  of  their  dignity  being  from  no  other, 
souice  than  from  their  judgment  and  will,  as  expressed  in  (heir  book  of 
Judgment  or  Discipline;  therefore,  in  the  words  of  Habakkuk,  it  may 
justly  be  concluded,  that  'their  judgment  and  dignity  proceedeth 
FROM  themselves.'    (See  Habakkuk,  1st  chapter,  throughout.) 

And  finally,  that  the  Methodisfic  bishops  have  taken  it  upon  themselves 
to  reign  in  the  church  of  God,  thus  to  be  lords  over  God's  heritage,  may 
be  seen  from  almost  any  page  in  their  for.vi  of  discipline  or  government. 
As  for  example,  at  page  39,  it  is  evidently  enjoined  upon  the  man  of  the 
church,  not  to  act  according  to  his  own  will  in  any  thing  that  has  refer- 
ence to  the  church,  wlietlicr  in  reading,  in  meditation,  in  praying,  or  in 
preaching!  but,  according  to  the  will  of  the  bishop!  The  express  com- 
mand is,  'Act  in  all  things  not  according  to  your  own  will.'  And  not 
only  so,  but  that  the  bishops  have  made  themselves  lords  of  God's  heritage 
or  vineyard  is  evident  froia  this,  that  they  cast  out  thence  every  laborer 
who  refuses  to  do  that  part  of  the  work  which  they  direct,  and  at  those 
times  and  places  which  tlicy  judge  proper!  The  command  is,  '♦3  that 
part  of  the  work  which  WE  advise;  and  at  those  times  anil  places  which 
WE  judge  most  to  God's  glory,'  Whence,  is  it  indeed  necefsary  to  tell 
the  christian  public,  that  i(  there  were  not  another  passage  in  the  Form  of 
X)i'snyj/(7W  indicative  of  the  ghostly  dominion  usurped  by  the  iMethodis'ic 
clergy  over  the  souls  of  men,  that,  nevertheless,  the  passage  already  ad- 
duce<l  is  all  sufTicicot  to  establish  tlie  fact,  and  this  in  such  sort,  that  all 
the  ingenuity  of  the  ATethodistic  clergy  combined  u  ill  never  be  able  to 
move,  until  overtaken  by  the  day  of  the  Lord's  second  coming.  I'ut,  to 
him  whose  eyes  are  open,  it  must  needs  have  already  becoiiiic  manifest, 
that  the  .Methodistic  clergy  have  adopted  the  very  principle  represented 
by  the  seals  of  the  papal  girdle  before  mentioned  ;  and  especially,  because 
they  have  adopted  that  represented  by  the  seventh  seal,  on  which  was  in- 
scribed 'Dominion;'  inasmuch  as  this  is  that  to  which  the  things  inscribed 
on  all  the  other  seals  pointed  and  referred,  and  in  which  they  all  rested 
and  ended. 

In  relation  to  the  Calvinistic  clergy,  it  may  be  proper  to  add,  that  they 
openly  acknowledge  the  papal  priiiciiile  williout  scruple!  That  such  is 
the  case,  may  be  seen  from  the  following  sentiments,  extracicd  from  their 
confession  of  faith,  namely  :  'The  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  as  the  alone  head 
of  his  church,  hath  therein  appointed  a  government  in  the  hands  of  church 
oCBcers.'    'To  these  officers  the  keys  of  the  kingdom  of  heaven  are  com- 


Art.  3.]     The  Odious  Heresy  of  Pope  Innocent.  6S 


22d.  That  the  tyrannical  manner  in  which  bishops  became, 
as  they  vainly  supposed,  espoused  and  married  to  churches, 
was  of  the  most  odious  and  abhorrent  character.  (See  the  eight 
articles  next  following.) 

23d.  That  Mainiard,  being  consecrated  bishop  of  Livonia^ 
[that  is,  to  be  husband  or  head  of  the  church  there,^  'marched 
into  that  province  at  the  liead  of  a  poweiful  army,  and  preached 
the  gospel,  sword  in  hand,  proving  its  truth  at  the  same  time 
with  blows  instead  of  arguments.'  (See  Mosheim,  vol.  3, 
page  5.) 

24lh.  That  Albert,  'being  [consecrated]  third  bishop  of 
Livonia,  entered  that  province,  A.  D.  1198,  with  a  fresh  body 
of  troops,  and,  at  a  place  called  Rica,  he,  by  the  direction  of 
pope  Innocent  III.,  instituted  the  military  order  of  the  knighVs 
sivord  bearers,  whose  duty  it  was  made  to  dragoon  the  Livoni- 
ans  into  the  profession  of  Christianity,  and  to  oblige  them,  by 
force  of  arms,  to  receive  the  benefits  of  baptism;  and,  that  the 
consequence  was,  that  the  Livonians,  being  oppressed,  slaugh- 
tered and  tormented,  until  at  length  unable  to  hold  out  longer, 
they  abandoned  the  statues  of  their  Pagan  deities,  and  substi- 
tuted in  their  place  the  images  of  the  saints;  being  at  the  same 
time  deprived  of  all  earthly  comforts,  inasmuch  as  their  lands 
and  possessions  were  wrested  from  them  with  the  most  odious 
circumstances  of  cruelty  and  oppression,  and  thence  divided  by 
-the  knights  and  bishops  between  themselves.'  (See  Mosheim, 
vol.  3,  p.  5.) 

25th.  That  'the  emperor  Heraclics,  incensed  against  the 
Jews  by  the  insinuations  of  the  clergy,  persecuted  that  miserable 
people  in  a  cruel  manner,  ordering  multitudes  of  them  to  be 
inhumanly  dragged  into  the  christian  churches,  in  order  to  be 
baptized  by  violence  and  compulsion;'  and  'that  the  same  odi- 
ous method  of  converting  [espousing  and  getting  married  to 
bishops]  was  practiced  in  Spain  and  Gaul.'  (Mosh.,  vol.  2i 
page  152.) 

26th.  That  'Charlemagxe,  in  century  8th,  commenced  Iios- 


mitted,  by  viriue  whereof  they  have  power  respectively  to  retain  and 
remit  sins;  to  shut  up  the  kingdom  of  heaven  against  the  impenitent,' — 
that  is,  against  such  as  they  may  judge  to  be  impenitent, — 'both  byword 
and  censures,  and  to  open  the  kingdom  of  heaven  to  penitent  sinners,' — 
that  is,  such  as  they  judge  to  be  penitent, — 'bj'  absolution  from  censures, 
as  occasion  shall  seem  to  them  [the  officers]  to  require.'  (Con.  Faith,  p. 
1 G6,  Edin.  edition.)  From  the  few  words  here  extracted,  it  becomes  man- 
ifest, that  the  Calvinistic  clergy  have  adopted  the  papal  principle  in 
question,  in  all  its  abhorrent  ioims;  and,  consequently,  that  they  might 
accept  of  the  papal  girdle  of  seven  seals,  and  wear  it  with  great  consist- 
ency! 


64  Exclusive  Right  of  Ordination.        [Note  D, 


tilities,  in  behalf  of  the  church,  against  the  ^^nglo  Saxons,  who 
inhabited  Germany;  and  that  tliat  valiant  people,  whose  love 
of  liberty  was  excessive,  and  whose  aversion  to  ihe  restraints 
of  sacerdotal  authority  [that  is,  to  being  the  spouse  of  bishops^ 
was  inexpressible,  being  at  last  overcome  by  the  terror  of  pun- 
ishment, sutfered  themselves  to  be  baptized,  though  with  the 
greatest  reluctance.'    (Mosheim,  vol.  2,  p.  202.) 

27th.  That  Boleslaus,  king  of  Poland,  'unsheathed  his 
sword,  in  century  10th,  in  behalf  of  the  ciiurch,  agninst  the 
Polanders,'  and,  in  a  word,  dragooned  them  into  the  church. 
(Mosheim,  vol.  2,  p.  425.) 

28ih.  That  Waldemar,  king  of  Poland,  'unsheathed  his 
sword,  in  century  12th,  in  behalf  of  the  church;  and  the  fierce 
and  savage  Danes  were  compelled,  by  that  prince,  to  hear  the 
instructions  of  the  pious  and  learned  doctors  that  followed  his 
aimy,  and  thence  to  receive  tiie  christian  worship;  and  that, 
after  many  bloody  battles,  the  Finlanders  were  also  commanded 
to  embrace  the  religion  of  the  conqueror,  which  the  greatest 
part  of  them  did,  though  with  the  utmost  reluctance;  also,  that 
it  was  with  a  similar  reluctance  that  they  received  Henry,  arch- 
bishop of  Upsal,  as  their  head  and  ruler.'    (Mosh.,  vol.  3,  p.  4.) 

29th.  1'hat  'instead  of  gaining  [espousing]  souls  to  Christ, 
these  gospelizers  [and  pretended  spouses  of  the  church]  usurp- 
ed a  despotic  dominion  over  their  obsequious  proselytes,  and 
exercised  a  princely  authority  over  all  those  countries  where 
their  ministry  had  been  successful.'    (Mosh.,  vol.  2,  p.  151.) 

30th.  That  the  sentiments,  maxims  or  doctrinals  necessarily 
flowing  from  the  principles  involved  in  the  precedmg  articles, 
taken  from  the  first,  are  false,  presumptuous  and  abhorrent. 
(See  tlic  nine  articles  next  follotving.) 

31st.  That  'the  laity  ought  to  take  their  faith  and  all  things 
necessary  to  salvation  from  the  hands  of  the  clergy.'  (t)  (Rhe- 
piist.  Annotations  on  Acts,  x,  8.) 

32d.  That  'the  spiritual,  which  is  superior,  (s)  must  rule 
the  temporal,  which  is  inferior,  by  all  sorts  of  means  and  ex- 
pedients when  necessary.'  (See  Bell  on  the  Pontificate,  p.  1095.) 


(r)  Let  it  be  asked,  is  it  not  virtually  the  same  thine;  to  teach,  that 
the  laity  should  cause  their  preconceived  0(  inions  to  submit  to  the  au- 
thority of  the  clrrjy,  (compare  Precursor,  vol .  2,  p.  10,  first  column,) 
as  to  teach  that  they  ouglit  to  take  their  faith  from  the  hands  of  the 
clcrajy  1 

(s)  Rlackstone  says,  that,  in  the  church  of  England,  spiritual  persons 
consist  of  bisliops,  archdeacons,  parsons  and  vicars.'  (See  vo'.  1,  p.  470.) 
But  St.  liernard,  instead  of  calhii  j  the  clergy  spiriiuni  persons  who  should 
rule  by  all  sorts  of  nicans,  declares  that  'they  are  servants,  and  not  lords 
andmasteis.'  (On  Ileb.  i,  14.)    To  the  doctrine  of  St.  Bernard  the  modern 


Art.  3.]        Progress,  etc. — Papal  Infallibility.  65 


8Hc).  That  'llie  pope,  speaking  from  the  chair,  is  exempt 
from  all  i<fnorarice,  error  and  mistake.'  (t)  (Dupin's  Disseita- 
tions,  p.  333.) 

34ih.  'I'hai  'the  freedom  of  opinion  is  a  senseless  freedom, 
and  tlie  liberty  of  ponscience  a  delirious  conceit and,  more 
recently,  that  'ihe  freedom  of  the  press  is  a  fatal  license,  of 
which  too  much  horror  cannot  be  entertained.' 

35tli.  That  'to  bishops  in  council  assembled,  with  the  pope 
at  their  head,  belongs  power  to  devise,  frame  and  establish  new 
articles  of  faith  for  the  church.'  ( v)  (See  Bishop  Taylor,  p,  392.) 


clergy  will,  it  is  true,  subsciibe,  on  the  condition,  that  all  rule,  power  and 
authority  in  the  church  may  bo  vested  in  their  hands;  j'et  not  so  as  to  be 
formally  called  lords  and  masters;  but  only  so  as  really  and  essentially 
to  be  so,  and  yet  called  servants,  or  servants  of  servants! 

Tlie  bull  of  exco[iiiiiunication  against  queen  Elizabeth,  the  title  of 
which  was,  'The  damnation  of  Elizabeth  and  all  her  adherents,'  began 
thus:  'Pope  Pius,  servant  of  the  servants  of  God,' etc.  Respecting  which, 
it  is  oidy  to  be  observed,  that  in  relation  to  the  modern  clergy,  we  may 
find  tlieiii,  on  one.  page,  claiming  to  be  Oie  least  of  nil,  and  servants  of  all; 
and,  on  the  jicxt  page,  teaching  that  there  are  grades  in  offices  and  digni- 
ties both  in  church  and  state;  and  that  the  olliceof  a  minister  and  that  of 
a  layman  are  by  no  means  equal;  and,  consequently,  that  the  levelling 
system  is  utterly  contrary  to  the  spirit  of  the  'latter  day  glory.''  (Compare 
with  Precursor,  vdI.  3,  pages  63  and  64.)  The  njodern  clergy  seem  to 
have  forgotten,  tliat  it  is  of  the  very  first  things  of  the  day  of  the  Lord  to 
"■lay  the  hauglitiiuss  of  man  loio  or  levei-,  to  the  end  that  the  Lord  alone 
might  be  exalted.'    (Sc6  Isaiah.) 

(i)  According  to  Browulce,  the  clergy  of  France,  so  late  as  the  17th 
century,  declared,  that  'the  pope  is  above  all  calumny,  and  his  faith  out 
of  the  reach  of  error.'  But,  in  relation  to  the  modern  clergy,  who  deny 
the  inrallibilily  of  '■His  Huliness^  at  iiome,  it  is  only  alleged  by  some  of 
them,  that  '■ivHkout  sxi.bjeeling  themselves  to  ihe  charge  of  presumption,  ihey 
might  perhaps' ))ut  in  a  plea  for  the  [infallibility  of  the]  clergy!'  Cut, 
however  this  may  be,  they  seem  to  be  ussured,  tliat  instead  of  the /^rq/ane 
laitij,  who  are  nol  called  upon  to  minister  in  holy  th  ngs,  it  is  the  sacred  duty 
of  the  clergy  to  judge  and  determine,  according  to  the  sacred  measure  of 
their  own  conscience,  (see  note  /,)  of  and  concerning  all  the  rights,  privi- 
leges and  immunities  pertaining  to  their  own  holy  selves — to  their  own 
sacred  order!    (Compare  Precursor,  vol.  3,  p.  74.) 

(r)  Luther  protested  against  this  sentiment  or  principle,  and  the  prac- 
tice of  it,  as  well  as  against  all  the  tilings  that  had  ever  thence  flowed  in 
upon  the  church,  as  a  Hood  to  carryher  away.  His  words  are.  Cerium 
est  in  manu,  etc.  That  is,  'It  is  certain,  that  it  is  not  in  the  power  of  the 
church,  or  of  the  pope,  to  constitute  or  determine  articles  of  faith,  nor 
even  laws  of  morals  or  good  works.'  This  was  one  among  forty  other 
tenets  of  Luther,  that  pope  Leo  X.  condemned  as  false  and  heretical. 
Hcspecting  which,  it  is  asked,  do  not  the  clergy  now,  whether  of  the 
IVIethodistic  or  Calviuistic  churches,  though  claiming  to  be  proteatant, 
give  their  voice,  in  unison  with  pope  Leo,  against  this  tenet  of  Luther  as 
being  false  and  heretical?  How  can  such  clergy,  being  met  in  synod  or 
conference  to  gravely  enact  ecclesiastical  laws  involving  articles  of  faith, 
morals  and  good  works,  do  other  than  condemn  Lut/Lcr,  the  great  protest- 

6* 


66 


Exclusive  Right  of  Ordinalion.  [NoteD, 


36th.  That  men  are  not  to  observe  how  the  church  proves 
any  thing,  but  only  what  she  says  ;  that  it  is  the  will  of  God, 
that  man  confide  in  his  ministers  as  they  would  in  himself;  and 
that  they  obey  the  mandates  of  the  clergy — without  attending 
to  the  reason — as  a  beast  obeys  his  driver.'  (w)  (See  Buck's 
Theological  Dictionary — Implicit  Faith. 

37th.  That  'a  pious  and  holy  man  is  one  who  deprives  him- 
self of  his  possessions  to  enrich  the  clergy;  who  builds  church- 
es, monasteries,  etc.;  and  whose  faith  and  obedience  is  so  im- 
plicitly subordinate  to  the  clergy,  that  he  believes  and  acts 
without  examination  just  as  they  may  see  fit  to  prescribe.' 
(Mosheim,  vol.  3,  p.  247.) 

38th.  That  'a  just  man  is  one  who  will  torment,  injure,  per- 
secute, and  even  put  to  death  such  as  refuse  blindly  to  obey 
the  decrees  of  councils  or  of  popes.'    (Mosheim,  vol.  3,  p.  248.) 

39th.  That  'a  heretic  is  one  that  believes  and  thence  teaches 
things  contrary  to  the  judicial  determinations  or  decrees  of  the 
church;'  that  is,  of  the  clergy,  with  the  pope  at  their  head,  (x) 
{See  the  note.) 


ant,  who  declares,  by  the  tenet  in  question,  that  they  have  no  right  to  do 
anj' such  tilings?  But,  as  said  before,  protestant  churches  have  not  re- 
mained protestant.    Concerning  \Tliich,  see  n.  2. 

(w)  Says  Jortin,  'A  theological  system  is  too  often  a  temple  consecrated 
to  implicit  faith,  and  he  who  enters  in  to  worship,  instead  of  leaving  his 
shoes,  after  tlic  eastern  custom,  must  leave  his.  reasoning  faculty  at  the 
door,  and  it  is  well  if  he  find  it  \yhen  lie  comes  out  again.' 

(r)  Says  iVIosheim,  'It  became  a  dutiful  son  of  the  church  to  renounce 
bis  eyesight,  and  submit  both  his  judgment  and  will,  without  any  excep- 
tion, to  that  of  HOLV  MOTHER,  under  the  liroi  belief  and  entire  pcr;uasion 
of  tiie  infallibility-  of  her  decisions.'  This  ghostly  mother  had  fur  ages 
past,  yvhcnever  her  unerring  perfection  and  authority  were  culled  in 
question,  followed  the  rule  which  Pliny  had  observed  in  liis  conduct  to- 
wartls  the  Christians,  namely :  'to  put  his  threats  into  execution  from  a 
persuasion  that  whatever  their  confession  might  be,  their  invincible  ob- 
stinacy deserved  an  exemplary  punishment!'  (vol.  3,  p.  405.)  But,  as  it 
rcs])ccts  the  persecuting  principles  adopted  and  acted  upon  by  the  papal 
church,  it  may  be  well  to  remind  the  reader,  that  John  Calvin,  whom 
many  in  his  day  called  'the  pope  of  Geneva,'  and  ivlioin  his  disciples  and 
followers  at  this  day  esteem  as  a  great  reformer  of  this  'Holy  iSlolher,' 
did,  nevertheless,  adopt  the  very  siime  principles,  as  if  they  hud  been  the 
very  essence  of  which  he  himself  was  the  form;  as  if,  being  embodied 
within  him,  he  must  of  necessity  carry  them  out;  and  as  if  to.  hinder  him 
in  the  operation  of  ultimating  them,  were  only  'to  put  asunder  what  Go;l 
had  joined  together,'  and  lo  abcl  the  cnonict  nf  order  and  good  govcmmetit. 
The  high  priests  of  the  Jews  saiil,  tltei/  had  a  law  by  u-kich.  C/trist  ovght  lo 
be  p'dl  lo  death;  and,  as  touching  Calvin,  we  are  informed,  that  after  he 
had  arrested  the  amiable  Servetus  on  the  Lori'.'s  day,  while  at  divine  wor- 
ship, he  then  adduced  laws  from  the  decretals  of  lloli/  Mother  (thus 
making  them  his  own)  going  to  show,  that  because  the  said  Servetus  had 
denied  it  to  be  possible  that  there  could  be  less  than  three  Gods  if  it  were 


Arl.  3.]        Progress,  etc. — Antichrist  Exulted. 


67 


4O1I1.  That  the  adoption  of  the  sentiments,  maxims,  etc., 
ailcluced  in  the  preceding  articles,  was  followed  by  ignorance 
and  snperstition  of  the  darkest  character,  both  in  respect  to 
clergy  and  laity;  and  thence  by  the  reign  of  terror  in  all  its 
hideous  forms,  thus  by  the  exaltation  of  Antichrist  and  his 
kingdom  to  the  highest  pinnacle  of  earthly  glory.  (See  the 
following  articles.) 

4lst.  That  the  minds  of  men,  from  being  hedged  in  on  every 
side  by  the  dogma  of  implicit  faith  in  the  clergy,  sunk  thence 
into  that  state  of  stultification,  stupidity  and  torpor  most  favora- 
ble to  the  production  of  the  various  orders  of  loipid  and  slothful 
mendicant  friars,  monks,  nuns,  etc.  (y) 

42d.  That  'the  Carmelites  (a  certain  order  of  monks)  affirm- 
ed, that  Pythagoras  drew  all  his  wisdom  fiom  Carmel,  and  that 


true  that  there  were  three  perfons  each  of  whom  is  very  GotI,  he  ought 
thcruloro  10  be  burnt  to  deatli  at  the  stake,  for  denying  the  trinity  !  But, 
sulfice  it  to  observe,  in  this  place,  that  the  said  Servetus,  whom  Calvin 
thu^  perseculcd,  and  thence  caused  to  be  put  to  death — the  death  of  the 
stake,  under  circumstances  shocking  to  every  feeling  of  humanity — was 
by  no  means  the  only  victim  who  felt  the  weight  of  the  vengeance  of  this 
great  reformer  oC  Hoh/  Molhcr.  (See  Beza's  Life  of  Calvin  and  Robinson's 
Ilesearches.)  To  which  add,  that  Calvinists,  now  finding  themselves 
utterly  unable  to  clear  their  great  founder  of  the  charge  of  foul  persecu- 
tion justly  preferred  against  him,  have  'conceded  the  cardinal  fact, 
namely,  that  Calvin  -was  instrumental  in  bringing  Servetus  to  trial  for 
heresy,  and  thus  to  execution.'  15ut,  at  the  same  time,  they  beg,  that  it 
be  not  made  peculiar  to  Calvin,  as  a  reformer,  to  have  put  heretics  to 
death ;  and  thence  proceed  to  state  the  number  of  executions  that  took 
place  by  means  of  the  bishops  of  the  church  of  England.  And  from  which 
statement  it  is  indeed  abundantly  manifest,  that  when  it  becomes  just  and 
proper  to  esteem  a  daughter  of  the  mother  of  harlots,  and  one  who  has 
adopted  the  bloody  customs  of  her  mother,  as  a  highly  respeclable  lady, 
then  wid  it  also  become  just  and  proper  to  esteem  the  church  of  England 
a  niGiiLY  RESPECTABLE  CHURCH.  (Compare  Frecursor,  vol.  2,  p.  307,  sec- 
ond column,  near  the  bottom.) 

{y)  '■Tria  faciunt  bonum,'  etc .  Three  things  make  a  good  monk  and 
nun :  to  speak  well  of  the  superior,  to  read  the  breviary  as  much  and  as 
often  as  they  choose,  and  to  let  things  go  on  just  as  they  please.  And,  as 
touching  the  modern  clergy,  the  sentiment  is,  'Three  things  make  a  good 
layman  and  woman:  to  speak  well  of  the  clergy,  to  confine  themselves  to 
the  orthodox  sentiments  of  the  church,  instead  of  ever  attempting  to  expound 
the  Word,  according  to  the  light  of  heaven  in  their  own  minds,  and  then, 
in  silence  and  submission,  to  let  things  go  on  just  as  they  please.  The 
reason  why  the  modern  clergj'  are  shocked  at  the  iilea  of  what  they  es- 
teem lay-preaching  is,  because,  from  the  partiality  of  the  love  of  self  ope- 
rating in  their  hearts,  they  vainly  conceit,  that  (excepting  those  highly 
favored  few,  who  have  received  the  clerical  imposition,  and  thence  have 
become  members  of  their  own  august  and  holy  order,)  all  are  no  other 
than  profane  laymen ;,  and,  being  profane,  it  is  therefore  clearly  contrary 
to  order  for  them  to  minister  in  holy  things  I  (Compare  with  Precursor, 
vol.  2,  p.  293,  and  vol.  3,  p.  74.) 


68 


Exclusive  Right  of  Ordination.  [NoteD, 


he  had  several  conversations  with  Daniel,  at  Babylon,  on  tlie 
subject  of  t!ie  trinity;  and  that  Jesus  Clirist  himself  assumed 
the  profession  and  habit  of  a  Carmelite.'  (Mosheini,  vol.  3, 
pp.  72,  73.) 

43d.  That  fictitious  dreams  and  visions  became  in  greater 
request  than  the  sacred  oracles;  as  for  example,  that  of  St. 
Bridget,  wiio  asserted,  that  'in  solemn  vision  it  was  made 
known  to  lier,  that  the  Franciscan  rides  of  order  trere  not  com- 
posed by  the  wisdom  of  men,  but  by  God  himself;  nay,  iliat 
every  word  thereof  was  inspired  by  the  Holy  Ghost;  and  that 
such  was  the  case  with  the  rules  of  ail  the  religious  orders.'  (z) 
(Slillingaeet,  p.  273.) 


(e)  From  Stillingfloet  we  find,  that  the  doctrine  of  transubsiantiution 
had  its  rise  rroiu  the  following  absurdity,  namely :  a  certain  ivoman,  called 
Mother  Juliana^  having  in  vision  wrestled  with  devils,  discoursed  with 
apostles,  aud  done  other  mighty  work?,  still,  in  her  visions,  saw  the  full 
moon  with  a  snip  taken  out  o/tier  roundness ;  whence,  it  was  concluded  \iy 
the  sages  of  the  church,  that  something  was  yet  wanting  to  perfect  and 
fill  up  tlie  measure  of  the  fuith  of  the  churc  h.  And,  in  a  word,  that  alter 
the  feast  of  Corpus  Ckrisli,  [that  is,  tlie  changing  of  the  bread  of  the  sac- 
rament into  the  real  body  of  Christ,]  and  the  t;olenin  procession,  etc.,  was 
eHahlisheil,  Juliana,  in  her  visions,  saw  the  full  moon  as  it  should  he, 
perfectly  round  1  (pp.  :23f>,  257  )  And.  not  only- so,  but  the  same  causes 
and  sources  (see  41st,  42d,  43d  and  41th  articles,)  manifestly  resulted  in 
giving  rise  to  all  that  innumerable  host  of  mummeries  ivhich,  like  the 
smoke  of  the  pit,  darkened  the  sun  and  air  of  the  moral  world. 

Gibbon  informs  us,  that  the  Trisagion,  viz :  'Holy,  holy,  holy  Lord  God 
of  hosts,'  \vas  verily  believed  to  have  been  the  identical  anthem  sung  and 
repeated  eternally  by  the  angels  and  cherubim  before  the  throne  of  Go:l ; 
and  miraculously  revealed  to  the  church  at  Constantinople.  Neverthe- 
less, that  the  dv'votion  of  those  at  .\iUioch  caused  them  to  add  these  words, 
'who  was  crucified  for  us;'  and,  therefore,  that  the  Trisagiou  with  and 
without  the  obnoxious  addition  was  chanted  by  different  choirs,  and  this 
frequently  in  the  same  cathedral,  till  ihcir  lungs  were  exhausted.  But 
that  in  such  case,  from  losing  all  jiatieiice  at  this  tedious  if  not  eternal 
method  of  foilverting  thfir  opponents,  they  usually  had  recourse  to  the 
more  solid  arguments  of  slicks  and  atones.'  (Sec  vol.     p.  2o0.) 

Gillespie  informs  us,  that  the  object  of  baptizing  bells  was,  that  from  the 
more  holy  sound  supposed  thence  to  issue  from  them,  devils  might  be 
frayed  away  Avith  more  ease  than  otlierwise.  lie  also  speaks  of  a  curtain 
great  church  bell  of  1100  lbs.  weight,  which,  when  baptized,  was  calletl 
John.    (Cent.  ".)th.) 

But  time  would  fail  in  attempting  to  exliibit  the  superstition;  of  lier, 
who,  from  a  chaste  virgin,  (as  (he  primitive  church  may  bo  said  lo  be,) 
had  now  began  to  exhibit  tSe  marks  of  the  mother  of  abominalions ; 
whence,  f.ir  the  present,  letting  rest  in  the  shade  <<f  obscurity  all  those 
superstitious,  false  and  wicked  vanities, invented  by  the  clergy,  consisting 
of  such  things  as  distinct  pcr=i)ns  in  the  triiiit}',  resurrection  of  the  body, 
eternal  secret  decrees,  jiurgatory,  jienance,  indulgences,  prayers  to  saints 
or  images,  relicts,  (of  whieli  many  are  singular  enough,)  oil,  cream,  spittle, 
salt,  holy  water,  etc., it  is  here  only  designed  to  give  n  sample  of  the{;ross 
ignorance  that  pervadcti  both  the  clergy  and  laity.    And  first,  in  nlatioa 


Art.  3.]       Progress,  etc. — Midnight  Darkness. 


69 


44lli.  Thai  St.  Ignatius,  in  a  trance,  which  held  him  for 
eiglil  days  together,  had  a  full  view  of  the  frame  and  model 


to  the  clergy,  Browiilce  informs  us,  that  a  certain  archbishop,  in  the  dark 
ages,  happeiieil  to  find  a  copy  of  the  Bible  in  some  old  box  in  (he  library, 
and  thiit,  i!])on  reading  it,  he  exclaimed,  'I  have  indeed  found  a  singular 
old  book  here;  I  know  not  whiit  it  is;  but,  one  thing  I  sec,  and  that  is, 
it  makes  entirely  againi-t  us.'  (p.  84  )    Again,  Rubinson,  in  his  Rese  irch- 
es,  says,  'When  tiie  Rcforaiation  commenced,  the  ignorance  of  ttie  clergy 
Was  extreme;  numbers  culd  not  read  at  all;  anil  tlie  very  bi'st  seUiom 
saw  the  Bible.    Many  doctors  declared,  asid  confirmed  it  by  an  oath, 
that,  though  above  lifty  3  ears  of  age,  yet  they  h;id  never  known  what  a 
New  Testament  was!'    He  further  states,  that 'Luther  h  id  taken  a  de- 
gree in  the  arts  before  he  ever  saw  a  Bible.'  (p.  538.)    And,  as  the  na- 
tural consequence  of  such  ignorance,  Mosheim  states,  that  ''I'he  state  of 
religion  became  uUimately  so  corrupted  as  to  be  utterly  destitute  of  any 
thing  ttiat  could  attract  the  esteem  of  the  truly  virtuous  and  judicious 
part  of  mankind.'    That  'The  worship  of  God  consisted  in  a  iVivolous 
round  of  insipid  and  unmeaning  ceremonies.'  (Vol.  3,  p.  4.13.)    Such  be- 
ing the  result  of  the  principles  involved  in  the  dogmatical  articles  above 
adduced  in  relation  to  the  clergy  themselves,  the  question  is,  what  then 
must  needs  have  been  their  result  in  relation  to  the  ignorance  of  the  laity, 
to  whom  the  Bible  was  altogether  prohibited?    What  was  the  result  of 
dogmas  involving  in  them  that  'he  souls  of  laymen  should  be  shut  up  and 
sealed  in  such  manner  as  to  prevent  the  reception  of  faith  or  ought  else 
pertaining  to  life  and  salvation,  otherwise  than  at  the  hands  of  the  clergy 
alone?    Must  it  not  necessarily  have  resulted  in  darkness  still  darker,  and 
in  superstition  more  and  more  superstitious?    The  laity  might,  it  is  true, 
read  the  Bueviarv,  (the  Bnok  of  Worship  of  the  papal  church,)  whether 
in  their  cells,  cloisters,  or  elsewhere,  with  about  the  same  advantage  that 
a  niember  of  the  church  of  England  derives  from  reading  the  Liturgy; 
or,  that  Methodists  derive  from  reading  their  bishops'  Form  of  Discipline; 
or,  that  Calvinists  derive  from  rej^din^  the  Dibectohy  ;  or,  that  the  chil- 
dren of  Israel  derived  from  kissing  the  calves  of  Jeroboam  the  son  of  Ne- 
bat;  (flos.  xiii.  2;)  inasmuch  as  all  these  things  inevitably  tended,  have 
tended,  do  tend,  and  will  forever  tend  to  the  same  thing,  namely:  to 
cause  the  people  and  laity  to  turn  their  back  upon  the  Word  of  the  Lord, 
— the  law  of  the  I-ord, — thus  upon  Zion  and  Jerusalem; — the  result  of 
which  is,  that  darkness  cnrcrs  the  earth,  [church,]  and  gross  darlmcss  the 
people.    Out  of  many  examples  given  by  Mosheim,  and  others,  serving  to 
show  the  grossness  of  that  darkness  which  covered  the  laity  of  die  papal 
church,  (the  light  of  the  Breviary,  Book  of  Worship,  or  Form  of  Discipline, 
and  all  the  advantages  thence  flowing,  to  the  contrary  notwithstanding,) 
the  following  may  here  be  noticed,  namely :  that,  'In  process  of  time,  the 
laity  began  to  wonder  riiiirlitily  how  it  was,  that  the  inhabitants  of  heaven 
came  to  the  knnwled  je  of  the  j^rnyers  addressed  to  them  on  earth !'  And, 
that  tliey  were  told,  (|)erhaps  by  the  wiser  of  the  clergy,)  diat  'The  in- 
habitants of  heaven  oft  >n  descended  from  above,  ami  frequented  Iho 
places  in  which  they  had  formerly  taken  pleasure  during  their  stay  in  this 
lifel'    But,  that  the  ignorance  of  the  laity  might  be  still  better  conceived, 
Mo.^hciin  iiiforniS  iis,  that  t!ie  sum  of  laitical  wis.loin  consisted  in  a  pro- 
found veneration  for  the  order  of  tlie  clergy  and  their  ghostly  pontifT;  in 
rendering  that  sacred  order  propitious,  by  frequent  ricli  and  larse  dona- 
tions; in  wisely  procuring  wealth  enough  to  purchase  indulgencios ;  and, 
in  the  observance  of  the  stated  ceremonies  of  the  church  regularly  and 


70 


Exclusive  Eight  of  Ordination.        [Note  D, 


(which  involved  within  it  the  order,  rules,  laws,  etc.)  of  the 
society  of  Jesus— that  is,  of  the  Jesuisls.  (aa)  (See  Butler's 
Lives,  vol.  2,  p.  262.) 

45th.  That,  besides  the  ignorance  and  superstition  resulting 
from  the  foregoing  dogmas,  a  council  was  held  at  Chalckdon, 
wherein  'it  was  decreed  by  the  conscience  of  500  bishops,  that 
the  decrees  which  they  had  then  and  there  passed  and  decreed — 
one  of  wliich  was,  'Those  who  divide  Christ  be  themselves  di- 
vided by  the  sword — be  burned  alive,'— might  be  lawfully  sup- 
ported, even  to  blood.'    (Gibbon,  vol.  3,  pp.  220  to  230.) 

exactly.  These,  taken  together,  were  the  things  that,  in  the  dark  ages  of 
the  church,  were  esteemed  as  the  sum  of  visdom,  of  knowledge,  and  of 
true  piety  I'  But,  'such  of  the  I:\ity  as  added  to  these  things  a  certain 
degree  of  austerity  and  bodily  mortification,  were  considered  as  tl.c  pecu- 
liar favorites  of  heaven!'    (See  vol.  3,  pp.  78  and  432.) 

From  die  things  here  adduced,  one  thing  at  least  becomes  quite  evident, 
namely:  that,  if  you  would  induce  ignorance  on  the  people  or  laity,  then 
accustom  them  to  believe,  that  the  clergy,  of  all  classes  of  men  are  the 
wisest,  and  that  they  [the  laity]  should  cause  all  their  preconceived  opijiions 
(o  submit  to  clerical  authority  and  dictation.  (Compare  Precursor,  vol.  2, 
p.  10.)  If  you  would  convert  the  laity  into  vile  sycophants,  then  teach 
them  that  the  clergy,  like  Diotrephus  or  Simon  Magus,  must  in  all  things 
have  the  pre-eminence.  If  you  would  make  slaves  of  the  people,  [laity,] 
then  teach  them  that  they  niuft  keep  their  own  understanding  under — 
(ihat  is,  iheir  preconceived  opinions) — that  they  must  'ad,  in  all  things^ 
not  according  to  their  own  will,^  hut  contrariwise,  must  mind  every  point, 
great  and  small,  of  the  will  and  understanding  of  the  clergy,  as  it  is  writ- 
ten in  the  Book  of  TVorsliip,  the  Breviary,  the  Liturgy,  the  Fomi  of  Disci- 
pline, the  Directory,  or  otherwise,  as  the  case  may  be.  (See  Meth.  Dis.,  p. 
39.)  And  finally,  if  you  would  make  downright  satans  and  devils  of  the 
lait}',  then  teach  thcin,  that  the  sins  of  all  the  elect,  (that  is,  those  sup- 
pospd<o  be  elected  for  heaven  in  eternity,)  which  they  may  hereafter 
commit,  aro  already  pardoned,  as  well  as  those  already  comDiilte<l ;  and, 
that  all  the  non-elect  (that  is,  ihose  not  particularly  elected  in  c'.ernity) 
siiall  inevitably  be  cast  into  hell,  their  faith  and  good  works,  prayers  and 
tears  to  the  contrary  notwithstanding;  or,  what  will  amount  to  the  same 
thing,  teach  them  that  heaven  is  the  lot  of  all  who  commit  their  souls, 
consisting  of  their  will  and  understanding,  into  the  hands  of  the  clergy 
for  safe  keeping ! 

Respecting  the  article  under  consideration,  (that  is,  article  4.3d,)  it  is 
worthy  of  rcm;ir]i.  Unit  lioly  Mother  permitted  all  Ihe  various  orders  of 
monkery  to  enjoy  their  own  redes,  orders,  etc.,  and  thence  to  act  in  free- 
dom ;  that  is,  just  as  long  as  their  order  harmonized  with  iJie general  order — 
the  order  decreed  and  established  by  the  clergy  in  council  asscmbleil,  with 
the  pope  at  their  head,  but  no  longer.  (Compare  Precursor,  vol.  2,  p.  10, 
first  column,  near  the  bottom.) 

(nn)  From  Robertson's  Ch^irles  V.  we  learn,  that  the  provincials  or 
heads  of  the  several  Jcsuist  houses  are  obliged  by  their  laws  to  transmit 
to  the  superior  regular  and  froqueiit  reports  concerning  the  individual 
meMihers  under  their  inspection;  and  that,  in  these,  they  descend  into 
minute  details,  defining  the  relation  in  which  each  individual  member  stands, 
in  regard  to  the  society  of  which  he  is  a  member;  and  which  reports  are 
registered  in  a  book  kept  for  that  purpose.  (Compare  Precursor,  vol.  2, 
p.  324,  second  column.) 


Art.  3.]     Synods  darting  Anathemas  at  each  other. 


71 


46lli.  That  'cardinals  were  [now]  chosen  and  appointed  to 
minister  to  the  pope,  in  imitation  of  the  seventy  disciples  cho- 
sen by  the  Lord;  the  result  of  which  was,  that  it  was  enacted 
in  council,  that  the  election  of  pontiffs  should  no  more  be  left 
to  the  laity,  but  to  the  cardinals  alone;  and,  that  he  in  whose 
favor  two-thirds  of  the  college  of  cardinals  should  vote,  should 
be  the  lawful  pontiff.'  (bb)    (See  Mosheim,  vol.  3,  p.  59.) 

47ih.  That  'the  pontiffs  assumed  to  themselves  the  power  of 
conferring  vacant  places  upon  their  creatures,  and  often  deposing 
bishops  duly  chosen  by  the  people,  [laity,]  substituting  others, 
with  a  high  hand,  in  their  room.  Their  pretext  usually  was, 
•lest  devouring  wolves  [heretics]  get  a  footing  in  the  flock  of 
Christ.'  '  (cc)    (Mosheim,  vol.  3,  p.  162.) 

48th.  That  the  church,  from  being  the  kingdom  of  the  Lord, 
becoming  the  kingdom  of  Antichrist,  where  the  strife  ever  is, 
who  shall  be  greatest,  it  of  necessity  resulted,  that  'rival  synods 
darted  anathemas  and  excommunications  at  each  other  from 
their  spiritual  engines!'  (Gibbon.)  Or,  as  Gillespie  expresses 
the  same  thing,  'one  council  went  on  damning  another,' 

49th.  That  it  was  decreed  in  council,  that  men  who  ended 
their  course  in  this  life  might  lawfully  be  cursed  and  excom- 
municated ;  and,  accordingly,  that,  in  century  10th,  'Fermoses 
was  taken  up  out  of  his  grave,  and,  after  being  duly  tried, 
cursed  and  excommunicated,  and  his  three  fingers  cut  off, 


(46)  The  cardinals  stood  first  in  rank  next  to  the  pope ;  they  were 
chost-n  by  him,  that  they  might  be  his  obsequious  creatures  aixl  instru- 
ruents,  through  which  to  tlo  all  liis  pleasure.  In  the  Alethofiistic  church, 
claiming  to  be  the  papal  church  reformed,  canliiuils  are  reformed  into 
presiding  ciders;  but  as  these  are  chosen  by  the  bishop,  and  are  his  obse- 
quious instruments,  through  whom  he  may  do  all  his  pleasure,  reign  and 
rule  throughout  his  vast  domains,  thus  corresponding  remarkably  to  car- 
dinals in  the  papal  church,  both  in  the  manner  of  their  creation  and  in 
their  use  after  being  created  ;  therefore  it  is,  that  the  reformation  claimed 
as  haviiig  taken  place  in  the  Methodist  church,  at  least  so  far  as  cardinals 
are  concerned,  is  manifestly  more  in  the  mere  name  than  in  the  essence, 
or  even  in  the  form! 

(cc)  Here  the  reader  is  introduced  into  full  view  of  the  end  of  the  last 
stage  in  the  progession  of  ordination  in  falling  into  the  hands  of  the  clergy 
exclusively.  Agreeably  to  the  43ih  article,  the  clergy  breathe  forth 
slaughter,  fire  and  sword ;  agreeably  to  the  46th,  they  determine  to  choose 
and  appoint  themselves,  inasmuch  as  they  determine  that  their  head,  the 
pope,  who  is  to  choose  them,  shall  himself  be  chosen  by  his  own  creatures, 
the  cardinals,  who  are  of  the  body  af  the  clerg}';  and  agreeably  to  the 
47th,  (the  article  in  question,)  they  put  their  determinations  into  execu- 
tion, by  deposing  and  silencing  the  ministers  of  Christ,  whom  the  laity 
have  chosen  and  ordained  to  lead  and  teach  them,  and  by  cau'ing  them- 
selves (the  pope's  creatures)  to  be  substituted  with  a  high  hand  in  their 
stead. 


72 


Exclusive  Right  of  Ordination.        [Note  D, 


wherewith  he  was  wont  in  his  lifetime  to  consecrate  persons 
admitted  to  spiritual  offices,  was  thrown  into  the  Tyber.'  (dd) 
(Gillespie.) 

(rfrf)  The  absurditj'  of  exconaniunicating  those  who  have  departed  this 
life,  and  whose  lot  is  irrevocably  fixed,  is  as  if  it  were  seriously  supposed 
that  the  thunders  of  mortal  excommunication,  issuing  from  worms  of  the 
dust,  could  reach  the  thrones  of  immortal  bliss  in  higlj  heaven,  and  shake 
down  to  hell  those  who  are  seated  thereon,  at  the  right  hand  of  God  ! 
This  absurdity  might  perhaps  have  forever  remained  without  a  parallel, 
and,  as  a  thing  of  which  it  might  be  said,  it  shall  not  be  ngain,  were  it  not 
for  this,  that  predestinarians,  professing  to  believe  that  the  lot  of  each  son 
of  Adam  was  irrevocably  fixed  in  eti  niify,  and  that  any  thing  that  man 
can  do,  whether  by  excommunication  or  otherwise,  can  never  change  the 
lot  of  any  man,  nevertheless  would  have  the  world  to  believe,  that  they 
hold  in  tlieir  puny  hands  the  keys  of  the  kingdom  of  heaven,  by  whicli  to 
open  and  shut  it  up  according  to  their  own  judgment  and  will!  Nay, 
they  would  have  the  world  to  believe,  that  'God  will  ratify  in  heaven 
those  censures  which  are  inflicted  by  his  olficers  upon  earth;'  (seethe 
Directory  ;)  that  is,  that  God  will  ratify  the  act  of  the  clergy  of  the  Cal- 
vinistic  church,  when  they  excommunicate  a  man  from  tlie  Lord's  king- 
dom on  earth,  and  ^pronounce  him  to  belong  to  the  kingdom  of  Satan ;''  or, 
what  is  still  the  same  thing,  that  God  will  ratify  the  act  of  the  clcrgj-, 
when  tliey,  from  fallibility  and  imperfection,  cxcomtnunicate  one  of  the 
elect  from  the  Lord's  kingdom,  and  adjudge  him  to  the  kingdom  of  satan! 
Whence,  it  is  gravely  asked,  wherein  is  the  difference  of  absurdity  between 
the  papal  clergy,  in  excommunicating  Fermosf.s,  whose  lot  they  shoulil 
have  known  was  irrevocably  fixed,  and  for  ani;l)t  they  knew  was  at  the 
right  hand  of  God — and  that  of  the  Catvinislic  c/crj^M/,  in  excomraniiicating 
A  MAN,  whose  lot  they  profess  firmly  to  believe  is  irrevocably  fixed,  yea, 
equally  as  though,  like  Fermoses,  be  had  departed  tliis  life,  and  which, 
for  aught  they  can  possibly  know,  may  be  in  one  of  the  happy  mansions 
in  heaven  ?  'J'hns  it  again  becomes  manifest,  that  many  of  the  enormous 
and  abhorrent  pri.icipk  s  of  the  papal  church  lio  yet  exist  in  the  reformed 
churches;  thaf  is.  they  exist  as  to  essence  the  same,  but  as  to  form,  ki;- 
formcd,  so  as  to  suit  the  popular  taste. 

Excomniunication,iii  the  pri/nitive  church,  consisted  in  the  refusal  of  the 
church  to  comrnnnicale  or  have  fellowshi])  with  one,  as  a  brother,  who 
lived  in  open  violation — not  of  ecclesiastical  laws  of  the  church,  involving 
articles  of  faith  judicially  determined  by  the  clergy  in  council  or  cotiven- 
tion  assembled,  for  of  all  such  things  the  primitive  church  was  destitute — 
but,  of  the  laws  of  God,  manifestly  revealed  in  Jiis  Word  ;  and,  this 
refusal  to  have  fiilnivsltip  with  disorderly  members  is  all  that  the  true 
cliurch  of  the  Lord  ever  claimed  or  can  claim  under  the  title  of  excom- 
iBunication.  Nay,  the  very  exercise  of  this  refusal  must  be  in  the  spirit 
of  charity  towards  those  whom  it  is  designed  to  affect  in  a  godly  manner; 
and  not  in  the  spirit  of  cursings  and  anathemas,  inasmuch  as  tlie  u-ratli  of 
men  icorkllh  not  the  rigliltousncss  of  God. 

But,  contrary  to  these  scntimcnis,  we  learn  from  ecclesiastical  histor}', 
that  in  the  strife  of  the  ministers  of  ./Imtichrist  who  should  he  the  greatest, 
that  is,  who  should  be  the  head  and  pope  of  all  the  rest,  there  were  at  one 
time  no  less  than  three  who  equally  claimed  to  be  the  ))ope  and  head  of 
all;  and  that,  in  their  strife  for  pre-eminence,  they  not  only  put  all  Eu- 
rope in  an  ujjroar  for  almost  fifty  years,  but  also,  with  all  the  malignity 
of  demons,  exhibited,  as  if  by  way  of  fair  trial,  xofiich  pope  could  curse  his 


Art.  3.]    .apostolical  Possessions  and  Friday  Fasts. 


73 


50lh.  That  heresy  was  now  defined  to  be  'An  invention  of  a 
man's  own  brain,  contrary  to  the  Scriptures,  yet  openly  main- 
tained and  stiffly  defended;'  and  at  the  same  time,  that  'ail  who 
either  maintained  that  the  apostles  held  no  earthly  possessions, 
or  refused  to  fast  on  all  Fridays  in  the  year,  were  guilty  of 
heresy!'  (ee)    (See  Gillespie's  Eccl.  Hist.) 

51st.  That,  'after  the  death  of  pope  John  XXII.,  there  was 
found  in  his  coffers  25,000,000  of  florins,  all  of  which  he  had 
squeezed  out  of  the  hands  of  the  oppressed  laity  and  inferior 
clergy,  during  his  pontificate.'    (Mosheim,  vol.  3,  p.  213.) 

52d.  That  'the  laity,  in  the  tenth  century,  were  implicitly 
led  by  the  popedom,  and  the  popedom  as  implicitly  by  notable 
harlots.'  (Gillespie.) 

53d.  That  the  clergy  assumed  a  higher  and  still  higher  tone! 
— thus  that  Nestorius  in  his  first  sermon  exclaimed,  'Give  me, 
O  emperor,  the  earth  cleared  of  heretics,  and  I  in  return  will 
give  heaven  to  you.'  'Assist  me  in  destroying  the  sects, 
[[heretics,]  and  I  in  return  will  assist  you  in  subduing  the  Per- 
sians!'   (Sutcliffe's  Eccl.  Hist.,  p.  117.) 

54ih.  That  the  emperor  Frederick  I.  having  come  to  crave 
absolution,  from  the  pope,  in  behalf  of  his  son,  whom  the  pope 
had  imprisoned,  and  to  that  end  having  knelt  at  the  pope's  feet, 
the  pope,  to  manifest  his  power  and  great  authority,  set  his  foot 
upon  the  emperor's  neck,  repealing  Psc/m  xci,  13!  (Gillespie's 
Eccl.  History.) 

55ih.  That  Frederick  II.,  that  he  might  be  duly  consecrated 
[[crowned]  by  pope  Honorius,  not  only  bestowed  on  him  a 
dukedom,  but  also  subscribed  to  the  canon  of  proscription-de- 
vised by  the  clergy  with  the  pope  at  their  head,  namely:  'that 
whoever  was  excommunicated  from  the  church,  and  so  con- 


antagonists  and  their  adherents  with  the  loudest  thunder  and  deepest  anathe- 
mas. Nay,  that  in  which  trial  all  the  clergy,  from  the  pope  to  the  cure, 
were  duly  cursed  and  excommunicated  by  one  or  other  of  the  rival  popes ; 
and  even  their  ordination  itself  made  void  and  of  none  effect!  Not  only 
so,  but  that  Benedict,  one  of  the  rival  popes,  finding  himself  deserted  by 
his  friends,  retired  to  a  strong  castle,  and  there  consoled  himself  in  his 
dotage,  by  excommunicating  and  cursing,  twice  in  the  day,  with  bell, 
book,  and  candle,  all  tlie  nations  of  Europe,  who  had  deserted  his  holy 
and  personal  cause! 

(ee)  Here  we  find,  that  those  who  would  be  genuine  sons  of  Holi/ 
Mother,  must  consider  it  to  be  their  duty  to  fast  every  Friday  Uiroughout 
Vie  year;  and,  by  referring  to  the  Methodist  Discipline,  we  find,  that  to 
those  who  are  the  most  genuine  Methodists,  who  are  true  beli-erers,  and  to 
those  who  are  supposed  to  have  the  faith  that  overcome  th  the  world,  it  is  given 
as  a  rule  or  direction,  ''I'o  observe  as  days  of  fasting*or  abstinence  all 
Fridays  in  the  year.''  (Page  89.)  Whence  it  is  seen,  that  with  the  pro- 
fessedly rejormed,  popery  yet  exists  unreformed.' 


74 


Uxclusive  Right  of  Ordmatioyi. 


[Note  D 


tinued  a  year  without  making  satisfaction  to  the  church,  [iht 
clergy,]  should  be  proscript;'  and  that  'when  Frederick  de- 
parted for  Asia  to  relieve  the  distressed  Christians,  the  pope 
excommunicated  him,  and  ultimately  pronounced  a  sentence  o: 
proscription  against  him;  depriving  him  of  his  titles,  kingdoms, 
etc.,  and,  at  the  same  tyne,  put  forth  an  edict  to  the  universal 
church  and  laity,  wherein  and  whereby  the  emperor  ivas  ctirsea 
to  the  devil  in  hell;  called  a  heretic,  schismatic  and  miscreant; 
and  whereby  it  was  also  commanded,  that  the  edict  itself  should 
be  recited  by  all  the  clergy,  in  their  respective  churches,  instead 
of  the  sermon!  and,  in  a  word,  wherein  and  whereby  all  men, 
whether  of  the  clergy  or  of  the  laity,  were  commanded  not  tc 
wish  the  emperor  well,  upon  pain  of  cursing  and  damnation.' 
(Gillespie's  Eccl.  Hist.) 

56th.  That  the  power  of  the  popedom,  priesthood,  or  hier- 
archy, went  on  increasing  to  still  greater  heights,  till  at  length 
kingdoms  and  crowns  were  given  and  taken  away  at  pleasure! 
— that  one  of  the  popes,  in  his  bull  to  Philip,  king  of  France, 
said,  'We  would  have  you  know,  that  you,  king  of  France, 
are  subject  to  us,  both  in  things  spiritual  and  temporal;  and 
we  pronounce  all  who  believe  to  the  contrary  heretics;  there- 
fore, do  not  imagine  that  you  have  no  superior,  or  that  you  are 
not  in  subjection  to  the  ecclesiastical  hierarchy;'  and,  according- 
ly, that  Gregory  VII.,  after  he  had  called  Henry  IV.  to  stand 
at  his  gate  three  days,  barefooted  and  bareheaded,  then  deposed 
him,  and  chose  a  new  emperor,  to  whom  he  sent  a  crown 
bearing  this  motto:  'The  rock  gave  the  crown  to  Peter,  and 
Peter  gives  it  to  Rodolphus.'    (See  Brownlee,  p.  31J.) 

57t!).  That  'the  tone  of  the  creatures  of  the  pope  became 
more  and  more  arrogant  and  presumptuous,  and  especially  in 
relation  to  the  pope  their  head;  that  (as  if  they  were  determined 
to  elevate  their  body  by  elevating  their  head)  they  insisted, 
that  the  pope's  power  is  over  all  supreme,  Pagan  as  well  as 
Cliristian;  that  his  empire  is  over  all  kings  and  princes  of  the 
earth;  that,  as  there  is  but  one  God  in  heaven,  so  there  is  but 
one  vicar,  representative,  or  agent  of  God  on  earth;  that  kings 
must  bow  down  tlieir  necks  to  Peter  and  his  successors,  in 
humble  obedience;  and,  therefore,  that  the  supremacy  of  the 
pope  over  all  persons  and  things  is  the  main  substance  of 
Christianity.'    (Brownlee,  p.  311.) 

58th.  That  the  clergy  now,  instead  of  exhorting  emperors 
to  give  them  the  earth  cleared  of  heretics,  and  promising  them 
heaven  in  retuyi,  (art.  53,)  assumed  a  still  higher  tone;  for,  in 
the  council  of  Lateran,  1215,  they  decreed,  that  'secular  princes 
[^emperors  and  kings]  should  be  compelled  by  church  censures, 


Art.  3.]    Progression,  etc. — U'lvine  Right  of  Kings.  75 


according  to  their  power,  lo  destroy  all  heretics,  marked  by  the 
church,  that  might  be  found  within  their  jurisdiction.'  (See 
Edgar's  Variations,  p.  214.) 

59lh.  That,  'instead  of  preaching  the  gospel,  [peace  and 
good  will  towards  all  men,J  the  clergy  now  preached  up  the 
divine  rights  of  kings  and  magistrates  to  destroy  heretics;  and 
this  with  such  efiicacy,  that  the  magistracy  of  Europe  became 
converted  in  a  tool  of  the  priests,  thence  to  enact  legalized  mur- 
ders on  men,  simply  for  their  opinions  in  religion;  in  a  word, 
priests  first  constituted  themselves  to  be  the  judges,  and  then 
kings  to  be  their  hangmen.'  (ff)    (See  Brownlee,  p.  334.) 

(//)  In  these  flays  it  was  gravely  alleged  by  the  papal  clergy,  that  it 
was  a  great  benefit  to  a  heretic  to  be  sent  out  of  the  world  as  soon  as 
possible,  seeing  [as  they  alleged]  that  the  longer  a  heretic  lives,  the  worse 
he  becomes;  and,  consequently,  that  if  he  is  soon  sent  off  to  hell,  his  hell 
will  be  much  lighter!  (Brownlee,  p.  343.)  But,  enquire  we  here,  what 
was  tlie  sentiment  or  jjrinciple  from  which  John  Calvin  acted,  in  his 
nianifeftly  thirsting;  for  the  blood  of  reputed  heretics 7 — for  the  blood  of 
Gruet  J  ofBolsec?  of  Castellio  ?  of  Gentilles?  But  above  all,  for  the 
l)lood  of  the  amiable  Servctus,  who  had  setit  him  a  copy  of  his  famous 
RESTrruTiOiV  of  CnRisTiANiTy  1  Was  it  indeed  because  he  had  an  ardent 
desire  to  send  them  all  off  to  hell  as  soon  as  possible,  so  that  their  hell 
might  be  lighter?  That  such  was  the  principle  from  which  he  acted,  hist 
friends  will  hardly  acknowledge.  Was  it,  then,  to  enlighlen  the  mind  of 
Servetus,  the  p/iilosopltcr  and  scholar^  that  he  made  a  faggot  of  his  body? 
Or  of  the  others,  that  he  would  perhaps  have  served  the  same  way?  (See 
Mosbcim,  vol.  4,  p.  418;  Robinson's  Researches;  and  Calvin's  Life,  by 
his  friend  Beza.) 

But  again,  what  was  ihe  principle  from  which  John  Calvin  acted, 
when  he  exhorted  the  Protector  of  Edward  VI.  to  virtually  become  his 
hangman,  by  alleging  that  seditious  persons,  who  would  introduce  con- 
fusion under  the  name  of  ihe  gospel,  should  be  restrained  by  the  civil 
power  which  God  had  put  into  his  hands? — by  alleging  farther,  that  such 
persons  rise  not  up  against  the  king  only,  but  against  God  himself  who 
had  placed  the  king  on  the  throne  ? — and  also,  by  alleging,  that  he  doubted 
not  but  that  the  Protector  had  good  4aws  and  commendable  regulations 
adopted  to  preserve  the  people  in  good  morals;  but,  that  more  was  want- 
ing? and  then  adding  as  follows:  'You  should  maintain  the  honor  of 
God,  in  punishing  those  crimes  [heretics]  the  proseculion  of  which,  wit/t 
man,  is  .usually  accounted  unnecessary?   (licza,  pp .  273,  284.)    But,  the 
nature  of  the  principle  on  which  John  Calvin  acted  becomes  quite  evident 
from  what  he  says  of  himself,  namely:  'My  exertions  have  not  been  en- 
tirely useless,  although  I  have  not  been  able  to  conquer  the  ferocious 
animal.'  (Beza,  p.  117.)    And  which,  being  interpreted,  doubtless  means, 
that  he  had  not  been  able  to  conquer  his  blood-thirsty  disposition.  Nay, 
that  this  is  the  very  thing  to  which  he  alludes,  appears  plainer, if  possible, 
from  the  apology  of  his  fi  ivnds,  in  behalf  of  him  and  other  bloody  perse- 
cutors of  the  Reformed  church,  namely:  that  Calvin,  and  other  reformers 
who  persecuted,  were  'nursed  and  brought  u))  in  popery:'  that  'they 
drank  in  the  persecuting  spirit  from  the  breast  of 'Holy  Mother ;' '  and 
that  '(hat  savage  lioness  taught  men  to  hunt  the  prey  and  revel  in  human 
blood  1'  (Brownlee,  p.  341.)    Whence  it  may  fairly  be  concluded,  that 


76  Exclusive  Eight  of  Ordination.        [^Nole  D, 

60th.  That,  from  the  decrees  of  councils,  each  bishop  had 
been  constituted  heresy  hunter  in  his  own  diocess;  but,  heretics 
still  increasing,  it  was  enacted,  in  the  year  1229,  in  a  council  of 
the  clergy,  held  at  Tolosa,  that  no  layman  should,  on  the  pen- 
alty of  heresy,  have  the  Scriptures  of  the  Old  and  New  Testa- 
ments, in  his  vernacular  idiom!  Nevertheless,  that  dissenters 
from  the  church  of  Rome  [heretics  so  called]  increased  daily, 
in  every  direction.    (See  Brownlee,  p.  334.) 

61st.  That  delegates  were  now  sent  into  those  parts  where 
the  papal  power  was  conceived  to  be  unceremoniously  trampled 
upon,  clothed  with  plenary  power  to  inflict  capital  punishment 
upon  every  heretic  wherever  he  might  be  found;  and  that  these 
delegates,  thus  commissioned,  and  aided  by  such  princes  as 
conceived  it  to  be  the  summit  height  of  all  honor  to  be  the  tools 
and  hangmen  of  the  clerg)-,  did  thence  establish  that  infernal 
court,  known  over  all  the  world,  by  the  name  of  the  Inquisition! 
(See  Brownlee.) 

56.  Here,  then,  being  arrived  at  the  Inquisition,  let  us  for 
a  moment  pause,  and  thence  consider  ^the  state  of  the  contro- 
versy,' the  ^main  question,'  'ihe  point  at  issue.'  In  n.  53,  54, 
it  is  abundantly  demonstrated,  that  sentiments  and  transactions, 
genuinely  indicative  of  a  thing,  may  and  often  do  have  place, 
without  their  being  either  expressly  or  formally  exhibited  as  if 
concerning  that  thing  ;  and  in  n.  55,  (the  number  immediately 
preceding,)  it  is  proposed,  that  the  things  genuinely  indicative 
of  the  third  and  last  stage,  in  the  progression  of  ordination  in 
falling  into  the  hands  of  the  clergy  exclusively,  are  no  other 
than  those  sentiments,  maxims  and  transactions  recorded  in  the 
annals  of  the  church,  which  manifest  and  exhibit  the  pride, 
arrogance,  presumption  and  domination  of  the  clergy,  on  the 
one  hand;  and  the  spiritual  bondage,  subordination  and  servile 
slavery  of  the  laity,  on  the  other.  Whence,  in  relation  to  the 
state  of  the  controversy,  it  must  needs  be  acknowledged  by  all 
who  are  willing  to  see,  that,  from  the  sixty-and-one  articles  last 
adduced  from  the  annals  of  the  church,  indepeadcntFy  of  a 
thousand-and-one  more,  of  a  similar  character,  that  might  with 


if  John  Ciilrin,  as  his  friends  sa}-,  was  nursed  and  diindled  in  the  lap  of 
popery, — if  he  sucked  in  from  the  l)reasts  of  Holt/  J^Iothcr  the  spirit  of 
persecution, — and  if  slie  taught  him  to  thirst  after  the  hlood  of  his  fellow 
man, — then  must  he  needs  l)e  her  genuine  son — that  is,  her  son  as  to  his 
spirit,  however  unlike  her  he  miijht  appear  as  to  outwanl  form  and  cere- 
mony— rather  than  a  son  and  disciple  of  '■the  Saviour  of  all  nxeri,'  who 
'came  not  to  destroy  men's  lives,'  whether  by  bitniing  Uiem  at  a  stake,  or 
otherwise,  'but  to  save  them.' 


Art.  3.3       Remarks  on  the  foregoing  Articles." 


77 


equal  propriety  have  been  adduced,  the  arrogance  and  domina- 
tion of  the  clergy  liave  been  abundantly  manifested  ;  and  also, 
that  the  things  thus  manifesting  are,  at  the  same  time,  genuinely 
indicative  of  the  stage  under  consideration.  Who  is  he,  upon 
reading  the  above  articles,  but  must  needs  be  convinced  in  a 
moment,  that,  in  accorilancc  thereto,  the  laity  must  have  beea 
utterly  debarred  from  having  aught  to  do  in  choosing,  making, 
ordaining  and  consecrating  their  own  ministers?  Nay,  so  far 
from  being  permitted  to  make  and  ordain  the  clergy,  it  was 
quite  suflicient  for  the  laity  if  they  could  escape  the  combined 
terrors  of  the  Inquisition,  involving  confiscation,  the  rack,  the 
torture,  the  fire  of  this  world  and  the  fire  of  purgatory,  or  of 
hell  itself  in  the  world  to  come,  which'  tiie  clergy  now  shook 
over  their  heads;  and  with  which  the  clergy  now  hunted  and 
pursued  them  with  indefatigable  zeal  and  industry.  Who  can- 
not see,  that,  in  accordance  with  the  above  articles,  instead  of 
being  permitted  to  be  of  one  accord,  thus  co-ordinate  witli  the 
clergy,  after  tlie  example  of  the  apostles  and  disciples  on  the 
day  of  Pentecost,  when  tlie  Holy  Ghost  descended,  (Acts,  ii,  1,) 
or  to  enjoy  the  least  ray  of  freedom  in  spiritual  things,  all  that 
could  now  in  justice  be  said  to  be  permitted  to  the  laity  was, 
that  they  might  go  peeping  about,  under  the  colossean  legs  of 
the  hierarchy,  and  in  the  dense  shade  of  the  clergy,  hunting  to 
themselves  humble  graves,  wherein  the  weary  might'  rest, 
and  wherein  wicked  and  ungodly  priests  might  cease  from 
troubling  them. 

57.  Respecting  the  things  of  the  last  stage,  generally,  let  it 
be  noted,  yea,  7ioted  in  a  book,  by  every  New  Church  man, 
that  councils  or  conventions,  whether  composed  of  ecclesiastics, 
or  of  laymen  with  the  clergy  at  tlieir  head,  keeping  steadily  in 
view  the  sidiject  of  ordination, — keeping  steadily  in  view  tliose 
measures  best  calculated  to  transfer  the  crown  of  ordinatfon 
into  the  hands  of  the  clergy  exclusively;  (compare  Precursor, 
vol.  2,  p.  .305,  and  vol.  3,  p.  74,  first  column,  at  the  top;) — 
thence  gravely  legislating  and  fra'ming  canons  of  conscience, 
and  attaching  ideas  of  guilt  to  the  breach  of  them;  and  thence 
gravely  framing  and  forming  common  planes  for  all  to  stand 
upon,  as  tilings  essential,  and,  consequently,  attaching  ideas 
of  guilt  and  disorder  to  all  who  refuse  to  stand  upon  them, 
(compare  Precursor,  vol.  2,  p.  322,  second  column,)  namely: 
such  councils  or  conventions,  and  such  proceedings  thence, 
differ  from  the  Romish  Inquisition  and  the  proceedings  thence, 
comparatively,  as  a  spark  of  fire  differs  from  a  city  in  a  full 
blaze  !  When  the  inquisitors  (that  is.  Antichrist  in  the  full 
ear,)  burnt  thirty,  sixty,  ninety  heretics  at  a  time;  stained  the 


78 


Exclusive  Right  of  Ordination. 


[Note  D, 


walls  of  tlieir  torture-rooms  with  human  blood;  while  they 
clothed  the  wretched  sufferers  with  habits  and  caps  on  which 
were  represented  devils  and  flames — of  which  even  an  inquisitor 
is  said  to  have  exchnmed,  Horrendum  et  tremendum  spectacit' 
lum! — what  did  they  more  than  finish  and  color  a  picture  of 
which  ancient  and  sanctimonious  councils  or  conventions  had 
long  before  given  the  sketch,  and  perhaps  only  in  the  lamb-like 
form  of  EEcoMMENDATiox  ?  (Compare  Precursor,  vol.  3,  pp. 
24,  25,  and  also,  the  5th  article  of  the  Constitution  of  the 
Western  Convention.) 

58.  But,  respecting  the  things  in  the  progression  of  ordina- 
tion generally,  let  it  be  asked,  did  the  laity  know,  when  they 
at  first  silently  and  submissively  suff"ered  their  bishops  to  take 
the  responsibility  so  far  as  'only  to  ordain  this  one,  or  (hat  one, 
independently  of  their  ordination,  (see  n.  46,)  that  they  were 
only  cultivating  the  root  of  bitterness — of  gall  and  woimwood  ; 
that  they  were  only  cherishing  and  giving  energy  to  that  prin- 
ciple which  in  its  operation  and  effects  would  ultimately  M'rest 
the  Bible  out  of  their  hands,  and  subject  them  to  slavish  subor- 
dination of  the  most  dire  and  abhorrent  character;  and,  finally, 
envelop  the  church  in  the  midnight  gloom  of  Antichrist,  sur- 
rounded with  all  the  horrors  of  the  Inquisition? 

In  the  time  of  Constantine,  the  affairs  of  the  church  were 
divided  into  an  internal  and  external  inspection;  and  the  in- 
ternal, involving,  amongst  other  holy  things,  the  consecration 
[^ordination  not  being  named  in  these  days]  of  the  clerg}-,  was 
assigned  to  the  inspection  [trust-office]  of  the  clergy  exclusively. 
"Whence,  tlie  question  arises,  did  the  laity  know,  that  by  lamely 
and  silently  submitting  to  the  innovations  and  abominations  of 
the  clergy,  that  they  were  only  preparing  the  sword  of  perse- 
cution and  slaughter,  the  rack,  tlie  torture,  and  the  fire  of  the 
Inquisition,  for  ihemselves  and  their  descendants? 

Did  the  laity  know,  that  by  soullessly  submitting  their  pre- 
conceived  opinions  to  the  authority  of  the  clergy,  as  the  clergy 
had  requested  them;  (compare  Precursor,  vol.  2,  p.  10;)  that 
by  submissively  discarding  the  sectarian  spirit,  (that  is,  the 
spirit  of  heretics  whereby  they  are  prompted  to  utter  truths  in 
opposition  to  the  domination  of  the  clergy;)  that  by  submissively 
discarding  the  condemning  spirit,  (that  is,  the  spirit  which 
prompts  a  man  to  expose  the  falses  and  evils  of  the  clergy  con- 
trary to  the  example  of  Constantine,  w!io  said,  'Should  I  see 
a  bishop  commit  adultery  I  would  cover  the  dirty  action  with 
my  robe;')  tliat  by  submissively  discarding  the  proselyting 
spirit,  (that  is,  the  spirit  which  prompts  a  mm  to  go  about  to 
win  souls  to  Christ,  after  the  example  of  Paul  who  went  not 


Art.  3.]       Pcmarks,  etc. — Things  Admonitory. 


79 


up  to  the  convention  at  Jerusalem  to  receive  ordination  at  the 
haiuls  of  the  clergy;)  tl-.at  hy  submissively  placing  their  confi- 
dence in  councils  or  conventions,  thence  to  fear  the  Lord  ac- 
cording to  the  precepts  and  commandments  of  men;  tliat  by 
personally  exening  themselves  to  carry  into  effect  the  ecclesi- 
astical laws  of  ecclesiastics,  adopted  or  enacted  in  council  or 
convention,  whether  in  the  deceitful  and  hypocritical  form  of 
RECOMMENDATIONS  or  Otherwise;  (compare  Precursor,  vol.  2,  p. 
324,  second  column;)  and,  in  a  word,  did  the  laity  know,  that 
by  silently  submitting  to  svich  things — things  esteemed  pious, 
lioly  and  just,  in  the  dark  ages  of  the  church — they  were  only 
forging  the  chains  of  their  own  slavery;  strengthening  the  bands 
of  wickedness;  confirming  the  toils  of  the  net  in  -which  they 
were  taken  by  the  clergy;  (Ilab.,  i;)  nerving  the  sword-arm  of 
their  own  and  their  descendants'  destroyers;  and  virtually  aid- 
ing the  fiends  and  tormentors  of  humanity — that  is,  the  hang- 
men and  other  tools  of  the  clergy — to  butcher  and  burn  millions 
and  tens  of  millions  of  human  beings?    But,  whether  the  laity 
of  the  consummated  church  sufliciently  reflected  on  the  conse- 
quence of  letting  slip  out  of  their  hands  their  ecclesiastical  priv- 
ileges, whether  in  relation  to  ordination  or  co-ordination,  con- 
cerns us  not  so  much  to  know  now,  as  to  know  that  all  the 
things  adduced,  in  the  articles  above,  from  the  annals  of  the 
church,  because  they  did  happen,  did  therefore  also  'happen  as 
ensamples;  and  they  are  ivritten  for  our  admonition,'' is, 
the  admonition  of  the  New  Church  of  the  Lord,  ^itpon  whom 
the  ends  of  the  world  (now  in  the  latter  day  glory)  are  comer 

59.  From  the  things  thus  far  adduced,  in  relation  to  ordina- 
tion, the  following  generals  present  themselves,  namely: 

First.  That  ordination,  vested  in  the  hands  of  the  clergy 
exclusively,  must  necessarily  be  at  war  with  the  freedom  of 
man  in  spiritual  things.    (See  n.  21  to  23.) 

Second.  That  ordination  must  necessarily  be  vested  in  the 
hands  of  all  the  brethren  in  common.    (See  n.  24  to  2S.) 

Third.  That  the  clergy  have  no  way  left  to  fly  or  to  escape, 
in  adhering  to  ordination  as  a  right  exclusively  pertaining  to 
their  office,  except  they  fly  by  the  way  of  Babylon,  thence  to 
take  refuge  in  Jeroboam's  chapel.  Amos,  vii,  13.   (See  n.  38.) 

Fourth.  That  to  mark  the  progression  of  ordination,  from 
the  time  of  its  being  co-  ordinately  in  the  hands  of  all  the  breth- 
ren, until  it  fell  into  the  hands  of  the  clergy  exclusively,  is  only 
to  mark  the  progressions  of  the  church,  from  the  time  of  her 
being  as  a  chaste  virgin  to  the  Lord,  until  slie  became  the 
^whore  of  Bome,'  and  'the  mother  of  harlots  and  abominations 
of  the  earth.' 


80  Exclusive  Right  of  Ordination.        [Note  D, 


60.  Having  now  spoken  many  things  in  relation  to  the  right 
of  ordination,  with  whom  vested,  and  the  disorder  resulting 
from  its  usurpation,  therefore  it  is,  that  it  only  remains  to  notice 
more  particularly  what  ordination  is  in  itself.  And  respecting 
which,  SwEDENBORG  tcachcs,  that  the  imposition  of  liands, 
when  spoken  of  in  the  Word,  represents  the  communication  of 
the  thing  treated  of,  and  also  the  reception  thereof,  whether  the 
thing  be  power  or  obedience.  (See  A..  C,  10,023.)  But  Swe- 
denborg  also  teaclres,  in  many  places,  that  the  Lord  at  his 
coming  abolished  all  representatives,  except  Baptism  and  the 
Holy  Suppei; 

Tlieielore,  the  imposition  of  hands,  (by  which  the  clerey 
mean  ordination,)  as  being  that  which  represents  any  thing 
communicated  by  the  ordainer,  or  received  by  the  ordained, 
can  have  no  place  in  the  New  Church  of  the  Lord,  grounded 
in  the  Heavenly  Doctrines  of  the  New  Jerusalem  promulgated 
to  the  world  by  Swedenborg. 

But  the  imposition  of  hands  having  no  place  in  the  New 
Church,  as  a  rite  representing  the  communication  of  the  Holy 
Spirit,  or  of  Divine  Power  from  the  Lord,  mucli  less  as  repre- 
senting the  transferring  of  such  things  from  one  man  to  another, 
the  question  arises,  may  it  not  have  place  in  the  New  Church, 
not  as  RErRESENTiXG  the  communicating  of  auj'  thing  to  another, 
but  as  a  work  by  which  the  Holy  Spirit  js  actually  transferred 
from  the  ordaining  minister  (with  whom  the  residue  of  the 
Spirit  is  parhaps  vainly  supposed  to  be  stored  up)  to  the  or- 
dained ?  To  such  as  would  thus  enquire,  it  should  be  known, 
that  Swedenborg  essentially  teaches  tiiat  the  transferring  of  the 
Holy  Spirit  from  one  man  to  another  is  an  invention  of  the 
devil,  as  well  as  the  clerical  succession,  necessarily  involved  in 
the  false  principle,  namely,  that  ordination  belongs  exclusively 
to  the  clergy.  Whence,  it  becomes  evident,  that  clerical  impo- 
sition of  hands,  whether  as  a  rite,  representing  the  communica- 
ting or  receiving  of  any  thing  holy,  or  as  a  icork,  by  which 
any  thing  holy  is  actual/t/  transferred  from  one  to  another,  has 
no  place  in  which  to  hide,  in  the  light  of  the  New  Jerusalem, 
nor  upon  which  to  rest  the  sole  of  its  foot  in  the  New  Christian 
Church  of  the  Lord. 

But,  because  the  things  here  adduced  from  Swedenborg  are 
demonstrably  true,  the  question  again  arises,  namely,  'Which 
way  will  the  shepherds  [clergy]  flee?  and  which  way  will  the 
principals  [popes,  bishops  and  ordaining  ministers]  of  the  flock 
try  to  escape,  to  the  end  that  they  secure  to  themselves  the 
crown  of  ordination?  Wherefore  howl  ye  principals  of  the 
flock;  ye  who  claim  the  exclusive  right  to  be  the  makers,  or- 


Art.  3.]     The  Choice  and  Ordination  of  the  Lord. 


81 


dainers  and  consecrators  of  ptiests;  and  cry  ye  popes  and  bish- 
ops, Catholic,  Calvinistic,  or  Methodistic,  for  the  Lord  hath 
spoiled  your  pasture; — for  the  days  of  your  slaughter  and 
dispersions  are  accomplished! 

61.  But  although  clerical  imposition  of  hands,  as  practised 
in  the  consummated  church,  falsely  called  ordination,  can  have 
no  place  in  the  New  Church,  yet  will  ordination  itself,  as  seen 
from  her  heavenly  doctrines,  ever  be  acknowledged  by  every 
New  Church  man.  And  that  the  ordination  which  must  needs 
be  forever  acknowledged  and  retained  in  the  New  Church  may 
become  manifest  to  all,  let  it  be  observed,  in  the  lirst  place, 
that  the  Lord  in  John  speaks  as  follows:  'Ye  have  not  chosen 
me,  but  I  have  chosen  you,  and  ordained  you,  that  you  should 
go  and  bring  forth  fruit.'  (xv,  16.)  Here  it  is  evident,  that  as 
the  branch  of  a  vine  cannot  be  said  to  bear  or  choose  the  root 
from  which  it  grows,  nor  to  order  the  sap  thence  flowing  from 
which  it  is  nourished,  so  neither  can  man  choose  the  Lord,  the 
true  vine,  of  which  himself  is  at  best  but  a  branch,  nor  yet  order 
the  divine  love  and  wisdom  flowing  from  the  Lord,  from  which 
the  all  of  his  spiritual  nourishment  is  derived.  But,  what  shall 
we  say  then?  Shall  we  indeed  conclude,  that  because  man 
cannot  choose  the  Lord  in  the  sense  just  noticed,  that  therefore 
there  is  nothing  left  for  him  to  do?  Can  he  not  reciprocally 
choose  the  Lord  to  be  his  God?  (Joshua,  xxiv,  22.)  Can  he 
not  choose  to  take  hold  of  the  covenant  [conjunction]  of  the 
Lord  his  God?  (Isaiah,  Ivi,  1  to  4.)  Can  he  not  cleave  to  the 
divine  precepts  of  the  Word,  and  thence  walk  in  the  ways  of 
truth  ?  (Psalm,  cxix.)  These  things,  it  is  evident,  a  man  may 
choose;  and  not  only  so,  but,  in  choosing  them,  he  may  thence 
be  enabled,  as  of  himself  from  the  Lord,  to  remove  the  barrier 
of  unbelief,  so  as  freely  to  receive  and  recipiocate  the  inflowings 
[^influx]  of  divine  love  and  wisdom  from  liie  Lord.  But,  the 
consequence  necessarily  resulting  from  a  man's  choosing  such 
things,  is  neither  more  nor  less  than  this,  that  from  the  deter- 
mination, tendency,  or  ordination  of  the  tilings  of  heaven  re- 
ciprocally chosen,  the  man  himself  thence  becomes  chosen  and 
ordained  of  the  Lord  to  bring  forth  fruit  according  to  the  end 
he  may  have  in  view  ;  as  for  example,  if  the  end  in  view  be  to 
teach  and  instruct  his  fellow  man,  then  the  reception  of  the 
divine  influx  ordains  him  to  be  a  minister  of  the  everlasting 
gospel. 

62.  But,  from  the  things  of  the  preceding  section,  it  is  evi- 
dent that  man  must  re-act  when  the  Lord  acts;  re-choose  when 
the  Lord  chooses;  otherwise  the  divine  operation  of  the  Lord 
remains  nugatory,  or  at  least  without  any  good  eflfect,  in  relation 


82 


Exclusive  Right  of  Ordination. 


[NoleD, 


him.  Whence,  it  farther  follows,  that  as  man  must  re-act,  re- 
choose,  etc.,  so  also  nien  must  re-act,  re-choose,  re-appoint  and 
re-ordaia  those  who  are  appointed,  chosen  and  ordained  of  the 
Lord  to  be  instrumental  in  their  regeneration  and  salvation; — 
otherwise,  the  oidination  of  the  Lord,  in  such  instruments, 
remains  void  and  of  none  effect.  Wherefore,  let  it  be  especially 
noticed,  that  the  previous  ordination  of  the  preacher,  without 
the  re-ordination  of  the  hearer,  may  be  compared  to  latent 
caloric  in  wood,  which  in  itself  is  utterly  powerless;  but,  re- 
ordained  by  the  hearer,  it  is  like  the  same  wood  ignited  to  a 
flame  by  free  caloric,  that  is,  caloric  in  actual  potency  and  power 
as  in  a  lighted  torch!  Thus,  also,  that  the  actual  power  and 
authority  of  the  preacher  is  derived  from  0)i  high,  through  the 
appointment  and  ordination  of  the  hearer — of  the  laity  ! 

G3.  'The  Lord  guards  freedom  with  man  as  man  guards  the 
pupil  of  his  eye.'  (D.  P.)  This  accounts  for  the  reason  why 
it  is,  that  the  Lord  permits  that  his  own  ordinations  and  ap- 
pointments may  remain  without  effect,  until  such  time  as  man 
re-ordains,  re-appoints,  and  re-chooses.  Were  it  otherwise,  it 
would  not  appear  to  man  as  if  he  were  led  of  himself,  and  ac- 
cording to  his  own  prudence,  but  which  appearance  the  Lord 
permits  for  the  sake  of  the  end,  wliich  is  salvation  and  heaven; 
— not  that  salvation  or  that  heaven  which  is  conceived  to  flow 
from  being  compelled  or  dragged  thither  by  j)redestinarian  de- 
crees, by  any  means;  but  ('the  goodness  of  the  I<ord  is  infinite!') 
that  heaven  which  involves  in  it  all  that  angelic  felicity  flowing 
from  voluntary  obedience! — from  delight  to  do  the  will  of  the 
Lord  !  .This  heaven  of  voluntary  obedience,  of  freedom,  of 
delight,  and  of  love — this  heaven  of  heavens,  being  the  heaven 
provided  of  tlie  Lord  for  all  who  love  him,  therefore  it  was, 
that  the  Lord  himself,  altliough  appointed  and  ordained  of  the 
Father  to  preach  the  everlasting  gospel,  and  to  do  other  mighty 
works,  could,  nevertheless,  do  no  mighty  work  amongst  his 
kinsfolk  and  countrymen,  because  of  their  unbelief!  Whence, 
it  is  evident,  that  even  the  ordination  of  the  Lord  himself  re- 
mains as  it  were  powerless,  till  man  re-chooses  the  Lord  to  be 
liis  God;  and,  until  man  inclines  his  ear  to  hear;  and  this  to 
the  end  that  tliat  freedom  with  man  should  not  be  violated 
which  makes  heaven  heaven  indeed  to  ail  thai  are  therein. 
And  not  only  so,  but  that  the  Lord  guards  the  freedom  of  man 
with  a  watchful  and  jealous  care,  is  manifest  from  many  places 
in  the  AVord,  a  few  of  whicli  are  particularly  worthy  of  notice, 
inasmuch  as  they  bear  directly  on  that  point  in  the  subject  of 
ordination  now  under  consideration,  namely:  that  witliout  re- 
action,  re-appoinlmcnt,  and  the  re-ordinulion  of  men,  iho 


Art.  3.]       Re-ordination  of  the  Levites,  etc. 


83 


ordination  of  the  Lord,  in  tiie  instruments  provided  for  their 
regeneration  and  salvation,  remains  void  and  of  none  effect. 
And  that  such  is  the  case,  see  the  following  sections,  where 
the  passages  alluded  to  are  adduced. 

64.  In  the  book  of  Numbers,  (viii,  ix,  x,)  we  find  these 
words:  'And  thou  shall  gather  the  u'hole  assembly  of  Israel 
together;  and  thou  shall  bring  ihe  Levites  before  the  Lord;  and 
the  children  of  Israel  shall  put  their  hands  upon  the  Levites.' 
Here  it  is  evident  that  the  order  of  God  required  that  the 
Levites,  with  Aaron  at  their  head,  however  previously  set  apart, 
ordered,  ordained  or  consecrated  to  be  the  ministers  of  the  law 
of  the  Lord,  should  nevertheless  remain  utterly  powerless,  in 
relation  to  their  respective  functions,  until  such  lime  as  they 
became  re-ordained  by  the  people,  the  laity,  by  the  imposition 
of  their  hatidsl  (gg)    By  this  act  the  priests  became  the  peo- 

(gg)  It  is  evident,  tliat  a  continu'il  recurrence  to  re-ordination  from 
the  tiaiids  of  the  people  must,  agreeably  to  the  same  order,  have  taken 
place  (luring  and  throughout  the  Jewish  economy,  had  it  not  been  pro- 
vided that  the  priesthood  should  be  by  the  way  oi^  hereditary  succession. 
The  ordiT  of  Aaron's  priesthood,  involving  hereditary  descent  or  succes- 
sion, taken  in  the  complex,  represents  no  other  than  the  order  of  C'brist's 
or  Melchisedek's  priesthood,  which  was  not  derived  from  priestly  pro- 
genitors, and  which  did  not  descend  to  natural  successors;  that  is,  to 
other  priests  in  succession.  The  natural  seed  or  descendants  of  Abraham 
represented  the  believers  in  Christ;  nevertheless,  believers,  as  such,  may 
justly  be  said  to  be  without  natural  progenitors  or  successors.  In  the 
priesthood  of  the  Lord  eveiy  thing  pertaining  to  that  of  Aaron  was  and  is 
merged,  finished  and  endetl.  Every  thing  captivating,  pertaining  to  it, 
was  and  is  led  captive;  and  not  only  so,  'But  this  man,  [Christ,]  because 
lie  conlinnelli  ever,  halli  a  priesUiood  ivhich  passeth  not  from  onk  man  to 
ANOTUKR.'  (Heb.,  vii,  24.)  'I'hat  is,  in  succession,  as  did  that  of  Aaron, 
Whence,  the  Lord  being  cnnseeraled  High  Priest  for  evermore,  (Heb.,  vii, 
28,)  and,  as  just  noticed,  in  such  manner  that  his  priesthood  cannot  pass 
from  one  man  to  another  in  succession,  and,  thence  ascending  up  on  high, 
so  as  to  lead  every  captivating  shadow,  or  representative  of  himself,  cap- 
tive; nay,  so  as  to  put  theiu  all  in  subjection  under  his  feet;  and  espe- 
cially all  those  pertaining  to  the  priesthood  in  natural  succession ;  the 
question  arises,  did  he  then  give,  or  rather,  in  his  wrath  did  he  then  fling 
back  in  the  face  of  his  new  church  the  captivity  and  gloom  of  shadowy 
representatives  Avhich  he  had  already  led  captive,  and  under  the  yoke  of 
which  his  church  had  groaned  for  ages?  Did  he  then  give  back  the  yoke 
of  captivity  consisting  of  a  priestly  succession,  which,  with  other  captiva- 
ting things,  he  had  broken,  abolished,  nailed  to  his  cross,  or  led  away 
captive  1  Granting  for  a  moment,  that  it  were  not  absurd  or  inconsistent 
to  suppose  that  the  Lord  might,  according  to  truth,  give  back  to  his 
church  those  very  things  which  it  was  his  grand  design  to  take  away  from 
l>er  anil  forever  abolis-h,  still  it  were  absurd  and  inconsistent  to  suppose 
that  he  should  do  this  without  at  the  same  time  giving  a  new  code  of 
laws  by  which  to  establish  the  things  thus  given  back;  and  especially,  a 
new  law  establishing  the  priestly  succession,  as  was  that  of  Aaron,  and 
Vfherein  it  should  be  specifically  laid  down,  that  the  Lord,  baling  thrown 


84 


Exclusive  Bight  of  Ordination.        [Note  D, 


pie's,  and  the  priesthood  the  people's  own  priesthood.  And, 
the  reason  of  which  is  the  best  of  reasons,  being  this:  that  it  is 
of  the  good  pleasure  of  the  Lord,  that  the  people  should  be  led 
and  taught  in  freedom  as  of  themselves  by  acts  of  tlieir  own 
prudence;  and  which  they  might  be,  while  led  and  taught  by  a 
priesthood  of  their  own  ordaining;  but  which  they  could  not 
be,  while  led  and  taught  by  priests  in  whose  creation  and  or- 
dination they  have  had  no  hand. 

65.  In  the  book  of  Joshua,  (i,  17,)  we  have  the  very  form 
of  ordination  used  by  the  people  of  Israel,  in  their  re-ordination 
of  Joshua,  who  had  been  previously  ordained  by  Moses.  It 
stands  thus :  'According  as  we  have  hearkened  unto  Moses  in 
all  things,  so  will  we  hearken  unto  thee;  only  [that  is,  on  this 
condition]  the  Lord  thy  God  be  with  thee  as  he  was  with  Mo- 
ses.' Here  the  question  arises,  why  was  it  given  to  the  sons 
of  Israel  to  promise  obedience  to  Joshua  their  leader  or  general, 
only  on  certain  conditions;  especially,  after  they  had  seen 
Moses  regularly  ordain  him  by  the  imposition  of  hands?  Was 
it  not  because  the  Lord  guards  that  freedom  in  man,  which 


down  the  govemmcDt  of  his  church  from  his  own  shoulder?,  hath  for  the 
future  given  it  up  into  the  hands  of  church  officers,  that  is,  ihe  clergy, 
whether  consisting  of  popes,  bishops,  presbj  ters,  or  of  ordaining  ministers, 
and  that  these,  and  tliese  alone,  are  they  who  shall  be  the  hiakers,  or- 
dainers  and  consecrators  of  priests  to  succeed  them,  according  to  Uic  power 
of  an  endless  succession.  The  reason  why  such  a  law  as  this  should  have 
been  especially  given  in  the  case  supposed  is,  because  it  is  for  such  a  law 
that  the  bowels  of  all  the  clergy,  who  go  about  to  establish  a  priestly  suc- 
cession over  the  church,  are  moved;  yea,  it  is  for  such  a  law  that  they 
groan,  with  groanings  which  tluy  cannot  or  icill  not  utter! 

Dut  because  the  Lord,  when  he  ascended  on  high  and  led  captivity 
captive,  did  not  give  back  such  things  to  his  church,  much  less  a  code  of 
laws  wiiereby  to  establish  them,  the  question  still  remains,  what  did  the 
Lord  give  to  the  men  of  liis  cliurch  in  their  room  and  stead?  The  aposSlo 
Paul  informs  us,  that  when  the  Lord  ascended  on  high  and  led  captivity 
captive,  that  \\e  gaic  gifts  to  men;  tliat  is,  to  tlie  men  of  the  church  he 
gave,  that  some  should  be  apostles,  some  prophets,  seme  evangelists,  some 
pastors,  and  some  teachers,  according  to  the  end  that  each  might  have  in 
view  respectively;  thus  according  fo  the  reception  of  the  Holy  Spirit  in 
each  respectively,  the  influx  of  which  being  the  same  and  alike  in  all. 
But  why  were  such  gifts  or  offices  given  to  the  men  of  the  church'!  That 
they  might  apply  them  to  hatcliing  out  and  establishing  ecclesiastical 
laws  of  order,  by  which  to  bring  the  church  again  into  boudage  and  un- 
der a  more  grievous  yoke  of  captivity  than  that  which  the  Lord  had  letl 
captive,  or  nailed  to  his  cross?  By  no  means.  But  they  were  given  for 
the  edification  of  the  body  of  Christ,  to  the  end  that  we  may  all  come 
into  the  unity  of  Uic  faith;  that  is,  the  laws  of  order  laid  in  the  Word; 
(not  into  the  unity  of  a  faith  expressed  by  ecclesiastical  laws  of  order, 
and  laid  in  creeds,  disciplines,  etc.;)  and  into  the  unity  of  the  knowledge 
of  the  ^^on  of  (iod,  unto  a  perfect  man,  unto  titc  measure  of  Uie  stature  of 
the  fulness  of  Christ .    (Eph.,  iv,  8  to  13.) 


Art.  3.]        Re-ordination  of  Saul — of  David.  85 


causes  and  prompts  him  to  kick  against  every  species  of  power 
exercised  over  iiim,  in  tlie  ordering  and  ordination  of  wliicli, 
lie  has  had  no  hand  ? 

66.  In  the  first  book  of  Samuel,  (xi,  14,  15,)  we  read,  that 
•Samuel  said  to  the  people,  come,  let  us  go  to  Gilgal,  and  re- 
new the  kingdom  there;  and'  that  'all  the  people  went  lo  Gilgal, 
and  there  made  [ordained]  Saul  king  before  the  Lord,  in  Gil- 
gal.' Here  it  might  be  asked  why  it  is,  that  Saul  must  go  to 
Gilgal  to  have  his  kingdom  re-newed;  or,  (what  is  the  same 
thing,)  to  get  himself  re-ordained  by  all  the  people?  But,  es- 
pecially, why  must  he  go  to  Gilgal  'l — a  place  merely  introduc- 
tory !  Had  he  not  already  been  kissed  by  Samuel,  and  anoint' 
ed  at  the  high  place  at  Ramah?  Had  he  not  thence  even  pro- 
phesied, until  it  became  a  proverb,  '/s  Saul  also  among  the 
prophets?^  Had  he  not  been  already  duly  taken  by  lot  out  of 
all  the  sons  of  Israel  to  be  their  king  ?  Nay,  was  he  not  from 
the  shoulders  and  upwards  taller  than  any  of  the  people?  And 
finally,  had  he  not  already  scattered  the  Ammonites,  who  pro- 
posed peace  lo  the  sons  of  Israel,  on  condition  that  they  would 
submit  to  have  all  their  right  eyes  thrust  out  ?  Why  then  is  it, 
that  Saul  must  yet  begin  to  reign  from  Gilgal  ;  from  power  de- 
rived from  ultimates,  boundaries,  or  borders?  or,  what  is  the. 
same,  why  must  Saul  at  last  receive  power  and  authority  to 
reign  over  Israel,  fiom  the  re-nevving  or  re-ordination  of  all  the 
people  themselves?  Suffice  it  to  say,  that  the  answer  to  all  the 
preceding  queries  is  found  in  this  one  trutli,  namely:  that  'The 
Lord  guards  freedom  wiih  man  as  man  guards  the  pupil  of  his 
eye.'  Saul  was  sent  down  to  Gilgal,  to  be  ordained  by  all  the 
people,  to  the  end  that  he  might  know,  that  he  was  altogether 
dependent  on  power  in  ultimates,  thus  on  the  power  of  the 
people,  for  power  to  reign  over  them  ;  and  thence,  that  he  must 
of  necessit}'  serve  the  people,  and  do  them  good  ;  otherwise, 
that  it  might  be  given  them  to  say  one  to  another,  come,  since 
Saul  abuses  the  trust  reposed  in  him,  let  lis  take  it  info  our 
own  hands,  and  dethrone  him.  Whence,  the  people  re-ordained 
Saul,  to  the  end  that  he  might  be  the  people's  king;  to  the  end 
that  they  miglit  have  part  and  inheritance  in  him,  wlwch,  other- 
wise, tlK;y  could  not;  and  to  the  end  that  they  might  be  led  as 
of  tliemselves  by  their  own  judgment,  \n  freely  following  Saul, 
against  the  enemies  of  the  Lord. 

67.  In  the  second  book  of  Samuel,  (ii,  4.)  we  read,  that 
•The  men  of  Judali  came,  and  there  [at  Hebron]  they  anointed 
David  king  over  Judah  ;'  and,  in  the  same  book,  (v,  3,)  that 
•all  the  elders  of  Israel  anointed  David  king  over  Israel.'  But 
the  question  that  here  arises  is,  why  this  re-anointing,  or  re- 


66 


Exclusive  Right  of  Ordination.        [Note  D, 


ordination  ?  Had  not  Samviel,  before  his  death,  anointed  David 
king  over  Israel  ?  Had  David  not  slain  the  Philistine's  chann- 
pion?  Was  he  not  the  son-in-law  of  Saul?  and  was  not  Saul 
himself  now  dead  ?  For  the  answer  to  these  queries,  tlie  reader 
is  referred  to  that  given  to  those  in  the  section  immediately 
preceding. 

68.  In  the  first  book  of  Kings,  (i,  39,)  we  read,  that  'Zadok 
the  priest  took  an  horn  of  oil  out  of  the  tabernacle,  and  anointed 
Solomon;'  and  that  all  the  people  said  'God  save  king  Soloniojj.' 
And,  in  1  Chronicles,  (xxix,  22,)  we  find,  that  'Tliey  [the  con- 
gregation^  made  Solomon  the  son  of  David  king,  the  second 
lime,  and  anointed  him  unto  the  Lord  to  be  chief  governor, 
and  Zadok  to  be  priest.'  Here  again,  similar  questions 
with  those  in  the  preceding  sections  present  themselves,  viz: 
why  must  Solomon  be  re-anointed  or  re-ordained  by  all  the 
congregation?  Had  he  not  already  been  anointed  and  ordain- 
ed by  Zadok  the  priest?  But,  above  all,  why  must  Zadok 
suflTer  himself  to  be  anointed,  and  tiius  re-appointed  and  re- 
ordained  by  the  congregation  of  the  people  or  laity?  If  Zadok 
had  been  as  tenacious  for  priestly  prerogative  as  are  the  modern 
clergy,  would  he  not  have  spurned  the  re-anointing  and  re- 
appointing oil  from  him,  with  indignation,  as  if  it  were  a  pro- 
fane tiling?  and,  especially,  from  the  circumstance  of  its  being 
administered  by  the  hands  of  the  laity!  would  lie  not  have  ex- 
claimed, ^ Stand  back!  come  not  near!  1  am  more  holy  than 
thou  I 

69.  In  the  first  book  of  Kings,  (xii,  1,)  we  read,  tliat  'Re- 
hoboani  went  to  Shecuem,  for  all  Israel  were  come  to  Shcchem 
to  jnake  [ordain]  him  king;'  and  in  the  same  book,  (xii,  IG,) 
that  'when  all  Israel  saw  that  the  king  hearkened  not  unto  them, 
the  people  answered  the  king,  saying,  'what  portion  have  we 
in  David  ?  neither  have  we  inheritance  in  the  son  of  Jesse: 
to  your  lenls,  O  Israel !  Now  see  to  thine  own  house  David!' ' 
Here  it  might  be  asked,  why  did  the  people  go  to  Shecuem  to 
make  [ordain]  Rehoboam  to  be  their  king  ?  Why  should  lliey 
go  about  to  re  ordain  the  son  of  the  great  Solomon,  and  grand- 
son of  Davjd,  the  lineal  heir  of  the  royal  line?  Wliy  was  il, 
when  Rehoboam  said,  that  he  would  chastise  the  sons  of  Israel 
with  whips  and  scorpions,  that  it  was  given  essentially  to  an- 
swer, that  because  lie  would  not  be  ordained  their  king  on  their 
terms,  they  had  neither  portion  nor  inheritance  in  him;  and  to 
exclaim,  [essentially,]  since  we  have  no  portion  in  Rehoboam, 
since  he  has  nothing  belter  for  us  than  whips  and  scorpions, 
thus  an  abuse  of  power,  'Co»?e,  let  us  take  the  kingly  power 
back  into  our  own  hands,  and  every  man  be  his  king  in  his 


Art.  3.] 


Ordination  from  On  High, 


87 


own  tenl,  0  Israel !  and  let  Rehoboam  with  whip  and  scorpion 
see  to  his  own  house?    (Compare  Precursor,  vol.  2,  p.  324.) 
Prompted  by  the  spirit  of  freedom,  which  the  Lord  guards  with 
every  man,  the  sons  of  Israel  went  to  Sheehem  to  make  [ordain] 
to  themselves  a  king.    They  doubtless  knew,  that  the  hereditary 
wisdom  of  kings,  in  the  management  of  t!ie  ship  of  stale,  was 
no  more  to  .be  relied  upon  than  llie  iiereditary  skill  of  pilots,  in 
the  management  of  a  sliip  laden  witli  gold  and  precious  stones  ; 
thai  kings  coukl  not  beget  kings,  (not  even  excepting  Solomon, 
the  wisest  of  kings,)  any  more  than  pilots  could  beget  pilots. 
But,  Rehoboam  doubtless  claimed  to  be  sufliciently  made  [or- 
dained] king  to  the  sons  of  Israel,  from  his  being  the  successor 
of  David,  to  whose  successors  (he  might  have  alleged)  the  Lofd 
had  promised  tiie  throne.    Nay,  he  doubtless  claimed  what  the 
modern  clergy  essentially  claim  at  this  very  day,  namely:  that 
his  power,  influence  and  authority  to  rule  and  guide  the  sons 
of  Israel  were  from  on  high,  descending  in  a  regular  succession 
from  David,  indeg^ndenlly  of  the  people! — independently  of  the 
laity  !  and  of  their  ordination,  and  all  the  stipulations  therein 
contained,  (hhj    (Compare  Precursor,  vol.  2,  p.  10,  first  col.) 

(M)  Respecting  the  point  here  at  issue,  between  Rehoboam  and  the 
sons  of  Israel,  it  should  be  known,  that  the  judgments  of  men  have  ever 
vurieti  just  in  proportion  as  they  have  been  under  the  influence  of  the 
spirit  of  freedom,  or  that  of  slavery  and  oppression.  For,  in  relation  to 
the  points  at  issue,  the  operation  of  the  spirit  of  freedom  in  a  mm  causes 
him  to  exclaim,  'Let  rebellion  triumph  over  despotism  and  oppression, 
which  will  not  hear  t'.ie  prayers  and  groans  of  an  oppressed  people.'  Or 
with  the  pact:' 

'Who  chains  the  free-born  spirit,  or  pursues 
A  bigot's,  or  ambition's  selfish  views. 
He  merits  all  he  suffers.    Curs'd  be  still 
That  grinding  law  that  thwarts  the  public  will.' 

The  genius  of  freedom  prompts  her  sons  to  move  forward.  It  prompted 
Luther  to  go  forward,  to  stem  the  torrent  of  papal  corruption,  and  the 
tide  of  popularity,  iu  deUroyiug  the  very  fuudameutal  ^;iinciples  of  the 
■  jnsliluliun  of  the  papal  church.    It  prompts  her  sons  to 

Think  for  themselves  on  orient  reason's  plan, 

And  claim  the  just  prerogatives  of  man.  • 

It  prompts  all  the  sons  of  the  true  Israel  to  -go  to  Sheehem^  that  is,  to 
aac.'ent,  orient,  and  first  principles,  in  order  that  truth  may  thence  be 
ordiiined  Idiig;  airl  thence  be  made  their  own  Ifing  indeed  and  in  truth. 
15ut.  contrariwise,  the  voice  of  the  oppressor  may  be  heard  to  musticate 
after  tlie  import  following : — Wlion  a  people  are  chastised  and  abused, 
never  si  grievously,  with  the  whips  and  scorpions  of  their  of)f)ressive  ami 
cruel  m  isters,  thr  y  must,  nevertheless,  make  no  attempt  to  part  asunder 
the  necessary  conneclion  between  things  which  God  has  joined  together  and 


88 


Exclusive  Right  of  Ordination.  [NoteD, 


70.  Besides  the  things  adduced  in  relation  to  the  subject  of 
re-ordination,  from  the  cases  stated  in  the  preceding  sections, 
much  more  might  be  adduced;  but  lime  would  fail  us.  Never- 
theless, from  the  things  already  adduced,  it  becomes  abundantly 
manifest,  that  Divine  Order  necessarily  leqnires,  that  tlie  peo- 
ple or  laity  have  part,  portion  and  inheiitance  in  the  king  or 
priest,  (as  the  case  may  be,)  only  and  alone  on  the  condition, 
that  they,  and  they  alone,  (exclusively  of  any  other  earthly 

permanently  established.  Thus  the  mutlerings  of  the  oppressor,  ci-idently, 
would  go  to  show,  that  God  has  indeed  joined  the  power  to  oppress  and 
the  oppressor  logeltier,  in  a  necessary  connection,  never  to  be  dissolved  or 
parted  asunder!  and,  consequently,  that  men  are  bound  by  necessily,  as  if 
by  fule,  to  sij/Ter  and  groan  eternally  under  the  >rhi;)  of  the  oppressor, 
rather  than  make  the  least  attempt  to  separate  between  the  power  to 
oppress  and  the  oppressor; — rather  than  make  the  least  atterapf  to  wrest 
the  whip  or  the  scorpion  from  the  tyrant's  gripe; — rather  than  say,  'Come, 
since  our  masters  abuse  their  power,  les  us  take  it  and  the  ivhips  for  a  sea- 
son into  our  own  hands,  and  ever^  man  be  his  own  master;' — rather  than 
confound  orders  and  grades  of  earthy  dignity,  and^cnce  the  distinction 
between  master  aU'!  sl?.^'? : — and.  in  a  word,  rather  flw'i  atten'pt  to  destroy 
those  fundamental  principles  of  the  Constitution,  by  which  whips  and 
scorpions,  unholy  orders  of  earthly  degrees,  dignities,  distinctions,  etc., 
are  set  up  and  established  !    (Compare  Precursor,  vol.  2,  p.  341.) 

Observe.  Shechem  has  been  assumed  to  be  indicative  or  representative 
of  oriental,  ancient,  or  original  principles;  and,  con'eqnently,  of  the  pa- 
triarchal governtiient  of  the  golden  age,  wherein  the  people  ruled  and 
governed  themselves  in  freedom,  through  tlie  iiistrumontality  of  their  pa- 
triarchs;  whom  they  made  and  ordained  at  pleasure  for  tiiat  end;  there- 
fore it  was,  that  the  sons  of  Israel  went  to  Shechem  t')  make  themselves  a 
king.  That  is,  that  they  might  inake  themselves  a  king,  .according  to 
first  principles,  and  which  always  involve  in  Ihera  principles bl  freedom. 
But,  a  return  to  Shechem,  namely,  to  original  positions,  (compare  Pre- 
cursor, vol.  2,  p.  SOS,)  is  not  only  abhorrent  to  kings,  who  claim  to  reign 
over  tho  people  by  right  divine  from  on  high,  independently  of  the  power 
derived  from  the  people,  but  also  to  jiriests,  w  ho  claim  to  lord  it  over 
God's  lierilage  from  the  same  right.  The  reasop  is,  the  clergy  know  that 
in  so  far  as  the  (icople  look  to  first  principles,  which,  as  s.iid  before,  are 
alwavs  principles  of  freedom,  the  less  siisccplilile  are  thry  of  bein;;  brought 
under  their  ghostly  domini  ;n.  And  th.it  such  is  really  the  case,  may  be 
seen  from  this,  that  piiosts,,  more  than  southern  slave-holiicrs,  rarely,  if 
ever,  inquire  after  what  is  tlivine  order; — after  what  is  just,  right  and  true, 
in  rehilion  to  the  rights,  pu'vilegcs  and-  freedom  of  the  jjeuple  or  laity, 
whctlier  as  referred  to  civil  or  ecclesiastical  government.  But  contrari- 
wise, fheirinquiiy  is  rather  after  what  is  cxprdienl; — after  (he  hest  way 
and  manner  of  a(  co.m.modating  themselves  to  disorder  as  they  find  it  exist- 
ing;— after  the  best  way'  and  mamier,  according  to  their  own  best  judg- 
ment, of  establishitig  an  order  in  the  church,  iu-kn;>wledged  to  be  tho 
order  of  disorder!  "(Compare  I'recnr.-or,  vol.3,  pp.  IGt  to  165.)  Put, 
what  is  all  this  but  strangling  and  suHbcating  fust  principles,  involving 
the  fr>>^(lora  of  the  laity  in  spiritual  things  in  the  tiense  smoke  of  aceon}- 
modatii.n,  ni^ed  with  the  ofTonsive  odor  of  the  order  of  disorder;  as  if  it 
were  not  ktiown — as  if  it  had  been  forgotten,  that  the  primitive  church 
was  suffocatcil  l.y  the  w;iy  of  accommodation?  Concejning  which,  sec 
n.  48,  12th  article. 


Alt.  3.]       Doclrinals  Respecting  Re-ordination.  89 


power  discretely  distinct  from  them,)  be  permitted  to  make 
and  orduin  Jiini  as  such.  Whence,  it  becomes  abundantly 
nranifest,  that  not  only  ail  previous  ordination  remains  void  and 
nugatory  until  re-ordination  take  place  at  tiie  hands  of  tlio  laity 
or  people,  viitualiy  or  formally,  but  also,  that  all  those  previous 
ordinations,  anointings  and  consecrations  which  had  place  in 
tiie  Je\rish  economy — being  only  repiesentaiive  of  things  of 
which  they  were  destitute,  and  which  are  restored  to  the  New 
Clmrch  of  the  Lord,  by  the  opening  and  unfolding  of  his  Word — 
are,  for  that  reason,  (and  especially  in  relation  to  the  New 
Church,  with  whom  the  substance  is  vested,)  forever  abolisiiei 
by  the  Lord — nailed  to  his  cross,  led  captive,  put  under  his 
feel,  and  taken  away  as  things  which  would  darken  and  eclipse 
the  light  of  the  latter  day  glory '. 

71.  From  the  things  adduced  in  a  few  of  the  preceding  sec- 
lions,  the  following  generals  present  themselves: 

First.  That  Aaron,  his  sons,  and  the  Levites,  whatever  they 
were  to  the  Lord,  were  not  the  priests  and  ministers  of  the 
people  until  they  re-ordained  them  to  that  end. 

Second.  That  Saul  was  only  the  son  of  Thish,  till  he  was 
re-made  and  re-ordained,  at  Gilgal,  by  all  the  people;  and  after 
this  he  was  king  Saul. 

Third.  Tiiat  David  was  only  the  son  of  Jesse,  until  he  was 
re-oidained  by  rll  the  people;  after  this  he  was  king  David. 

Fourth.  'I'hat  the  Lord's  own  ordination,  by  the  hands  of 
Samuel,  must  remain  latent,  and  his  ordination  must  be  as  a 
partridge  in  the  mountains,  till  Saul  be  dead,  and  until  the 
people  are  ready  to  rc-ordain  him,  rather  than  that  that  freedom, 
which  tiie  Lord  liimself  guards,  should  be  disturbed  or  hurt. 

72.  But  the  things  adduced  from  the  Word,  in  the  preceding 
sections,  respecting  re-ordination  at  the  hands  of  ihe  hearers  or 
laity,  as  also  respecting  the  weakness  of  previous  ordination  in 
itself,  is  confirmed  and  corroborated  by  Paul,  where  he  says, 
'Ye  also  iielping  together  by  prayer  for  us,  that  for  the  gift 
bestowed  upon  us  by  means  of  many  persons,  thanks  may  be 
given  by  many  on  our  behalf.  As  ye  have  acknowledged  us 
iu  part,  that  we  are  your  rejoicing.'  'And,  in  this  confidence, 
I  was  minded  to  come  unto  you,  that  ye  might  have  a  second 
benefit.'  (See  2  Cor.,  i,  11  to  15.)  Here  the  apostle  speaks  of 
a  gift  bestowed  upon  the  ministers  of  the  Word,  by  the  means 
of  many  persons,  also  of  their  being  acknowledged,  at  least  in 
part,  by  all  the  bretiieex;  and,  in  consequence  of  the  confi- 
dence with  which  such  acknowledgment  ir»spired  hi(n,  [Paul,] 
that  he  was  minded  to  give  them  a  second  benefit;  all  manifestly 
indicating  that  acknoicledgment,  tacitly  or  expressly,  on  the 

8* 


90  Exclusive  Eight  of  Ordination.        [Nole  D, 


part  of  all  the  brethren,  on  t!ie  part  of  the  hearer  or  laity,  was 
essentially  necessary  to  inspire  the  minister  with  that  ronfltlcnee, 
which  to  him  is  power,  and  authority  to  teach  and  preach  to 
the  peoj)le.  But,  that  such  is  the  case,  is  corroborated  from 
what  he  says  in  the  same  epistle,  (xiii,  4,)  namely:  'For  we 
are  weak  in  Christ,  but  we  shall  live  with  him  by  the  power 
of  God  towards  you.'  Wheie  the  meaning  evidunlly.  is,  as  if 
he  had  spoken  thus:  for  our  ordination  from  Clirist,  though  it 
be  weak,  like  latent  fire,  yet  shall  the  heat  and  liglil  thereof  be 
acknowledged  to  be  with  Christ,  if  ignited  by  the  torch  of  ac- 
knowledgment, approbation,  or  ordination,  tacitly  or  expressly, 
In  your  hands,  towards  whom  the  power  of  God  is  in  potency. 
(Compare  Precuisor,  vol.  3,  p.  72,  2d  column,  at  the  bottom.) 

73.  From  the  things  in  the  preceding  section  it  becomes 
evident,  that  the  appreciation  of  the  mi/iister\i  tfSffiilncss,  ainl 
thence  the  acknowledgment  thereof,  viz:  the  acknowledgment 
of  the  order,  oidinsiiorn,  or  gift  of  Gud  wiiliin  hiin,  b)'  the  men 
of  the  church,  is  the  very  essence  of  ordination,  as  far  as  the 
church  is  concerned,  whatever  form  for  the  sake  of  order  she 
may  afterwards  see  fit  to  adopt.  It  has  been  sufficiently 
shown  from  ecclesiastical  history,  that,  in  the  primitive  cliurch, 
no  member  thereof  was  excluded  from  participating  in  the  ad- 
ministration of  the  alTairs  thereof,  and,  esperiall}-,  from  partici- 
pating in  making  and  ordaining  her  officers;  concerning  which 
see  n.  48,  art.  1  to  4.  Whence,  it  remains  to  be  shown,  that 
this  principle,  namely,  the  principle  of  equality  and  co-ordina- 
tion, is  the  very  principle  upon  which  the  men  of  the  .^poslolic 
church  acted,  in  liie  creating,  making  and  ordaining  of  their 
officers,  at  its  first  eslablishment.  And  that  such  may  be  seen 
to  be  the  case,  it  is  but  necessary  to  remember,  thai  after  the 
Lord  was  ascended  again  to  heaven,  all\\\p.  brethren  (about  120 
in  number)  continued  with  one  accord  at  Jerusalem,  till  the  day 
of  Pentecost;  that,  in  tlie  mean  time,  Peter  proposed,  tliat  one 
of  their  number  s!)ould  be  made  and  ordained  a  bishop  in  the 
room  of  Judas,  who  had  lost  his  bishopric  by  transgression; 
that  they  (all  the  brethren)  accordingly  appointed  two  of  their 
number,  that  is,  Barnabas  and  Matthias,  and  prayed  that  tlie 
Lord  would  show  which  of  t!ie  two  he  had  chosen  and  ordained 
to  take  the  apostleship  from  which  Judas  fell;  and,  finally,  that 
they  (all  the  brethren)  gave  forth  their  lots,  and  that  the  lot  fell 
upon  Matthias,  who  tlience  M'as  acknowledged  to  be  an  apos- 
tle. (See  Acts,  first  chapter  throughout.)  Here  the  principle 
of  equality  and  co-ordination  stands  out  in  high  relief.  Thej-, 
all  the  brethren,  appoint  two;  they  pray  that  the  Lord  would, 
by  the  lots  they  are  about  to  cast,  show  which  of  the  two  he 


Ai-I.  3.]      lic-onUnation  of  Paid  and  Barnabas. 


91 


hail  onlained  to  lake  the  place  of  Jiidas;  tliey  cast  lots;  and  the 
lot  falling  iipoiv  Matthias,  ihcy,  all  the  breihicH,  acknowledge 
him  to  be  an  nposlle  along  with  the  rest.  And,  not  only  so, 
but  because  llieir  casting  of  lots  was  not  in  itself  ordination, 
but  only  an  act  by  which  it  might  be  determined  whom  the 
Lord  had  chosen  and  oidained;  therefore,  it  follows,  that  iheir 
acknowledgment  of  him,  upon  whom  ihe  lot  fell,  as  an  apostle, 
was  in  itself  tlie  verytordinalion  alluded  to  by  Pcler,  when  he 
said,  'one  must  be  ordained.^  Thus,  the  principle  involving 
equal  and  co-ordinate  rights  in  all  the  brethren  is  not  only 
hereby  established,  but  also  the  principle  suggested  above,  viz: 
that  acknoivlcdgmenl  of  the  ordination  of  God  in  (mother  is 
the  very  essential  of  ordination,  as  far  as  the  church  on  earth 
is  concerned,  however  exhibited — informally  or  formally. 

74.  That  the  principle  involving  co-ordinate  and  equal  lights 
in  every  member  of  the  apostolic  church,  was  that  which  was 
acted  upon  in  the  first  establishment  of  that  cliurch,  may  be 
farther  seen  from  this,  that  Ananias,  who  was  nothing  but  a 
lay-disciple,  entered  the  house  where  Saul  [Paul]  was,  and, 
putting  his  hands  on  liim,  said,  'brother  Saul  [Paul]  the  Lord 
Jesus  that  appeared  unto  thee  in  the  way  as  thou  earnest,  hath 
sent  me,  that  thou  mightest  receive  ihy  sight,  and  be  filled  with 
the  Holy  Spirit;  and,  that  Saul  [Paul]  received  sight  forthwith, 
and  arose,  and  was  baptized.'  Here  we  find  acknowledgment, 
not  merely  informal,  but  acluaUy  formal,  viz:  by  the  imposition 
of  hands;  and,  at  the  same  time,  words  used,  viz:  'Brother  Saul,' 
etc.;  and  finally,  the  rile  of  baptism;  that  is,  all  these  things 
administered,  although  ecclesiastical  affairs,  by  a  mere  lay  dis- 
ciple !  (Acts,  ix,  17.)  The  same  thing  may  be  seen  farther 
from  this,  that  in  the  cliurch  of  Antioch  ceitain  prophets  and 
teachers  ordained  Barnabas  and  Paul,  by  the  imposition  of 
hands,  to  go  and  do  that  work  whereunto  the  Holy  Spirit  had 
directed,  or  might  direct  them.  But  these  prophets  and  teach- 
ers were  no  other  than  laymen;  inasmuch  as,  had  they  been 
officers  of  the  church,  instead  of  being  thus  called,  they  would 
have  been  called  by  their  appropriate  titles,  viz:  apostles,  elders, 
and  deacons.  (See  Acts,  xiii,  ],  2,  3.)  Nay,  the  same  princi- 
ple may  be  seen  from  many  things,  as  for  example,  from  tffls, 
that  Aquilla  with  his  wife  Priscilla,  who  were  recently  con- 
verted, and  of  the  laity,  took  Apollos,  who  was  not  only  an 
eloquent  preacher,  but  mighty  in  the  Scriptures,  and  expounded 
to  him  the  way  of  God  more  perfectly!  (Acts,  xviii,  20.^ 

75.  Nevertheless,  it  should  be  known,  that  the  apostles, 
being  the  peculiar  eye-witnesses  of  the  Lord,  and,  consequently, 
they  to  whose  testimony  concerning  him  all  the  brethren  gave 


92 


Exdusive  Right  of  Ordination. 


[Note  D, 


ear,  iherefore  it  was,  tliat  the  apostolic  sanction  or  acknowledg- 
ment of  the  officers  chosen  and  ordained  by  the  church  was 
usually  deemed  necessary.  This  accounts  for  the  cause  why 
it  was  given  to  tlie  apostles  to  acknoiclcclge  the  deacons  already 
chosen  by  all  the  brethren,  by  formally  laying  their  hands  upon 
them;  (Acts,  vi,  6;)  and,  why  it  was  given  them  [^Cheirotonco'] 
to  stretch  out  the  liand  to  the  elders  whom  the  disciples  had 
choson  in  e*ery  church;  (Acts,  xiv,  23;)*and  thence  to  make 
the  elders  of  tiie  churches  in  a  certaiai  sense  their  own  elders. 
That  is,  elders  apostolically  sanctioned,  so  that  of  one  of  such 
it  miglit  be  said,  'He  is  of  the  apostolical  stamp;'  'The  apostles 
have  ackno«^edi;ed  the  gift  of  God  within  him;  and,  in  token 
thereof,  have  [^Cheirotonea']  extended  to  him  the  right  hand  of 
fellowsliip.'  Whence  it  becomes  manifest,  that  from. and  afler 
the  time  of  the  apostles,  who  were  eijc-witnesses  of  the  Lord, 
and  who  therefore  as  such  could  have  no  successors,  there 
could,  according  to  divine  order,  be  none  given  to  whom  it 
should  appertain  to  re-acknowledge  or  re-ordain  the  officers  of 
ihe  church,  whom  all  the  brethren  had  already  aclcnoicledged 
and  ordained. 

76.  But  that  the  extending  of  the  right  hand  of  fellowship, 
or  the  laying  on  of  hands,  whether  of  the  disciples,  eliJers,  or 
apostles,  was  only  intended  by  the  men  of  the  apostolic  ciiurcli 
to  signify  a  token  of  achnoidcdgmcnt  on  their  part,  that  those 
on  whom  they  thus  operated  wci'e  already  in  possession  of  the 
gift  of  the  knowledge  of  God  as  they  themselves-  were,  and 
might  therefore  teach  it  to  oiliers  as  they  themselves  did,  may 
be  seen  from  almost  any  place  in  the  apostles'  writings,  where 
the  act  itself  is  spoken  of.  As  for  example,  'Neglect  not  the 
gift  which  is  in  thee,  which  was  given  thee  by  prophecy,  with 
the  laying  on  of  the  hands  of  the  elders.'  (1  Timothy,  iv,  IG.) 
Here  observe  in  the  first  place,  (I  Tim.,  i,  18,)  \.\\e  gift  [called 
the  gift  of  God  in  2  Tim.,  i,  G,]  given  by  prophecy,  was  given 
hy  prophecies  which  tcent  before  on  'I'imothy;  tliai  is,  by  teach- 
ings, through  the  instrumentality  of  his  gr«ndmother  I.ois,  and 
mother  Eunice,  (2  Tim.,  i,  G,)  by  which  from  a  child  he  hud 
known  the  holy  Scriptures,  tvhich  ivere  able  to  make  Jtim  wise 
unto  salvation.  (2  Tim.,  iii,  15.)  Whence  it  is  evident,  that 
the  gift  of  God,  in  Timothy,  given  to  him  by  prophecies  or 
teachings  in  the  holy  Scriptures,  and  u-hich  went  before  on 
him,  that  is,  previous  to  the  laying  on  of  the  hands  of  the  pres- 
bytery', could  in  neither  part  nor  parcel  thereof  be  given  by  the 
presbytery.  Such  being  the  case,  the  passage  in  question,  in 
its  true  import,  comes  out  as  follows:  'Neglect  not  the  gift  of 
God  that  is  in  thee,  which  was  given  thee  by  prophecy;  and 


Art.  3.]      Rc-ordination. — Concluding  Remarks. 


93 


uhicli  gift  in  thee  being  acknowledged  by  llie  elders,  tliey  have, 
in  token  thereof,  extended  to  you  the  right  hand  of  fcliowsJiip; 
or  laid  their  hands  upon  you.  Again — 'Stir  up  the  gift  of  God 
U'hich  is  in  thee,  by  tlie  putting  on  of  my  hands.'  'I'hat  neither 
part  nor  portion  of  the  gift  of  God  in  Timothy  was  ever  given 
to  him  by  the  laying  on  of  men's  hands,  has  been  sufficiently 
demonsirated  just  above;  whence  the  true  import  of  the  pas- 
sage is  evidently  as  follows:  Siir  up  the  gift  of  God  which  I 
have  acknowledged  to  be  in  thee,  by  the  token  ol"  the  putting 
on  of  iii^  hands.  (2  Tim.,  i,  G.  Compare  with  1  Tim.,  v,  22; 
2  Kings,  X,  15;  and  Ezra,  x,  19.) 

77.  But  that  the  men  of  ihe  apostolic  church  were  not  tena- 
cious in  respect  to  the  mere  form  or  shape  of  the  token  of  ac- 
knowledgment, in  acknowledofing  the  ordination  of  God  in  each 
other,  according  to  the  end  had  in  view  by  each,  may  be  seen 
from  Paul,  in  Galatians,  where  he  says,  'And  when  they  [the 
brethren]  perc*ived  tub  grace  that  was  given  unto  me, 
they  gave  to  me  and  Barnabas  the  right  hands  of  fellow- 
ship; that  we  should  go  to  the  Gentiles,  and  tiiey  to  the  Jews, 
(ii,  9.)  Here  it  comes  out  manifest,  that  the  positions  taken  in 
the  preceding  sections,  in  relation  to  what  ordination  is  in  itself, 
must  needs  be  correct;  and  especially  seeing,  that  t!ie  passage 
'before  us  is  virtually  as  follows:  'When  the  brethren  (James, 
Cephas  and  John)  f)erceivcd  the  ordination  of  God  in  Paul  and 
Barnabas,  they  acknowledged  il;  and,  in  token  thereof,  they 
gave  them  the  right  hands  of  fellowship.^  This  form  of  the 
token,  namely,  the  giving  of  the  right  hand  of  fellowship,  was 
perhaps  that  form  which 'most  generally  prevailed  in  the  apos- 
tolic church,  (n.  75.)  But,  granting  for  a  moment,  that  the 
men  of  the  apostolic  churcli  did,  in  the  administration  of  the 
formal  act  or  token,  sometimes  lay  their  hands  upon  the  fierson 
ordained,  in  conformity  to  Jewish  customs,  (see  Acts,  xxi,  20, 
21,)  still  the  essence  of  ordination  contended  for  remains,  like  a 
rock,  immoveable.  Not  only  so,  but  in  propoition  as  the  fact 
'becomes  known,  namely,  ttiat  the  external  form,  however  per- 
formed, is  nothing  more  than  a  token  of  acknowledgment  that 
the  person  receiving  it  is  already  ordained  of  heaven  to  the  end 
in  question,  from  its  being  the  object  he  had  in  view,  so  far 
will  it  also  become  known,  that  the  mere  form  of  the  token, 
whether  consisting  of  the  imposition  of  hands,  of  giving  the 
riglu  hand  of  fellowship,  or  (what  appears  more  rational)  of 
giving  a  written  license,  (see  Precursor,  vol.  3,  p.  70,  second 
column,)  is  a  non-essential  thing.  Wherefore,  to  conclude  the 
subject  of  oidination,  let  it  only  be  farther  observed,  thai,  with 
all  those  of  ti;e  iS'ew.  Church  of  the  Lord,  to  whom  it  is  given 


94 


Transfering  the  Hohj  Spirit.         [Chap.  II. 


to  see  tliat  Divine  Order  according  to  which  the  Lord  has  es- 
tablished it,  tlie  ordination  of  a  man  into  the  ministerial  nfiice 
will  necessarily  consist  in  his  brethren's  giving  him  some  token 
of  acknowledgment,  indicative  of  their  conceiving  and  believing 
that,  from  his  reception  of  the  Divine  Influx,  he  is  ordained 
thence  to  that  office, 

CHAPTER  TI.  • 

(Note  D.— Auticle  III.) 

Concerning  fhe  giving  or  transfering  the  Holy  Spirit,  by 
the  imposition  of  hands,  claimed  in  hchalf  of  the  apostles, 
and  thence  by  the  clergy  as  their  successors. 

7S.  Respecting  the  giving  or  transfering  The  Holy  Spirit, 
as  above  staled,  let  it  be  observed, 

Isi.  That  tlie  fellowship  between  the  brethren,  on  the  day  of 
Pentecost,  resulting  from  their  mutual  acknowledgment  of  each 
other  as  dear  children,  (see  Eph.,  v,  1;  Rom.,  xv,  7;  and  Matt., 
X,  40,)  although  externally  indicated  no  otherwise  than  by  their 
being  of  one  accord — co-ordinate  or  like-minded  one  toioards 
another,  and  in  the  s«??je  place — was  itself  attended  with  the 
reception  [acknowledgment]  of  the  -Holy  Spirit,  in  relation  to 
each  of  them;  and  thence  in  an  ultimate  manifestation  thereof, 
in  appearance  like  tongues  of  lire,  parted  asunder,  so  that  a 
measure  of  which  sat  upon  each  of"  them,  enabling  them  to 
speak  forth  the  mysteries  of  heaven,  so  as  to  be  understood  by 
men  of  different  languages,  equally  as  if  each  had  been  address- 
ed in  his  own.    (See  Acts,  ii.) 

2d.  That  the  fellowship  between  the  Jews  and  Gcnliles,  re- 
sulting from  the  acknowledgment  of  Peter,  on  the  day  that  he 
preached  at  the  house  of  Cornelius,  nnmoly,  from  his  acknow- 
ledging that  the  Gentiles  were  also  called  to  be  fellow  heirs  of 
lieaven,  and  brethren  of  the  household  of  faith;  that  God  was 
no  respecter  of  persons,  inasmuch  as  whosoever  believed  on  the 
name  of  tlie  Lord  should  receive  remission  of  sins, — was  itself 
attended  with  the  reception  [acknowledgment]  of  the  Holy 
Spiiil,  by  CorneMus  and  the  rest  of  the  audience,  and  thence 
also,  in  an  external  manifestation  thereof  through  them,  pre- 
cisely similar  to  that  given  on  the  day  of  Pentecost.  (Compare 
Acts,  X,  4L)  , 

3d.  'J'hal  the  fellowship  between  Paul  and  those  disciples 
wliicli  he  found  at  Epiiesus,  who,  being  bnptizcd  only  wiili 


D.  Art.  3.]    The  Holy  Spirit  Falling  upon  Men. 


05 


John's  baptism,  had  not  so  mucli  as  heard  whether  there  be  an 
Holy  Spirit,  and  which  fellowship  resulted  from  Paul's  ac- 
knowledgment of  tliem,  thence  in  instructing  and  baptizing  ihem 
into  the  mystery  of  the  Lord's  baptism,  and  finally,  in  his  giv- 
ing them  the  last  seal  or  token  of  liis  acknowledgment,  namely, 
the  laying  on  of  his  hands, — was  itselt  attended  with  the  re- 
ception [acknowledgment]  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  by  those  disci- 
ples; and  thence  also  in  the  external  manifestation  thereof, 
through  them,  similar  in  all  respects  to  that  given  to  the  disci- 
ples on  the  day  of  Pentecost.    (See  Acts,  xix.  1  to  6.) 

4ih.  That  the  fellowship  of  Peter  and  John  with  those  disci- 
ples who  had  been  baptized  by  Philip,  but  who,  nevertheless, 
had  not  received  [acknowledged]  the  Holy  Spirit,  and  which 
fellowship  resulted  from  Peter  and  John's  acknowledgment  of 
them,  and  thence  in  sealing  it  with  the  token  of  laying  on  their 
hands,  was  attended  with  the  reception  [acknowledgmenl]  of 
the  Holy  Spirit  by  those  disciples;  and  tiience  in  the  usual 
external  manifestation  thereof.    (Acts,  viii.  14  to  18.) 

And  from  tiie  things  adduced,  is  it  not  evident,  that  mw/wa? 
acknowledgment  and  fellowstdp  thence  Jloiving,  was  at  the 
root  of  all  those  external  manifestations  of  the  Holy  Sjiirit,  that 
had  place  in  the  men  of  tlie  apostolic  church  ?  These  external 
manifestations,  it  is  true,  they  called  the  falling  of  the  Holy 
Ghost  upon  ihemf  or,  the  reception  of  it.  Nevertheless,  it 
must  needs  be  evident  to  all  wiio  are  willing  to  look,  that  no- 
thing more  is  to  be  understood  hy  the  coming  down  or  fulling 
of  the  Holy  (^host  upon  the  men  of  the  apostolic  church,  and 
its  reception  thence,  as  in  the  cases  above  adduced,  than  that 
the  operation  of  the  Holy  Spirit  within  ihein,  not  having  as  yet 
full  scope  and  latitude  in  the  inner  man,  fell  doivn  into  the 
external  man,  thence  into  uitimaies,  and  was  there  received  in 
a  miraculous  manner,  so  as  to  be  accordingly  exhibited  to  the 
outward  senses. 

79.  But,  in  the  first  two  articles  of  the  preceding  number, 
where  tlie  external  manifestation  of  the  Holy  Spirit  in  the  men 
of  the  church  is  spoken  of,  the  imposition  \\7\n^s,  whether  of 
apostles  or  disciples,  is  utterly  out  of  the  question.  In  the  first 
case^the  Holy  Spirit  fell  down  so  as  to  be  externally  manifest, 
while  the  brethren  were  ail  with  one  accord  in  one  place;  and 
in  the  second  case,  the  Holy  Spirit  fell  down,  the  same  way, 
while  Peter  was  preaching  fellowship,  peace  and  good  will  to 
the  Gentiles!  And  not  only  so,  but  in  the  last  two  articles  of 
the  preceding  number,  although  the  imposition  of  the  apostle's 
hands  is  named,  yet  it  is  by  no  means  named  as  that  through 
which  the  Holy  Spirit  is  received.    It  is  true  that  it  is  staled, 


96 


Transfering  the  Holy  Spirit,         [Chap.  II. 


that  Peter  and  John  laid  their  iiands  on  those  disciples  that 
Philip  had  baptized;  and  that  they  received  [acknowledged] 
the  Holy  Spirit. 

But  that  it  was  not  through  the  laying  on  of  the  apostle's 
hands  that  they  received  the  Holy  Spirit,  more  than  it  was 
through  the  laying  on  of  the  hmCts  o{  Ananias  [a  layman]  that 
V  Paul  received  the  Holy  Ghost,  and  became  thence  an  ordained 
preacher,  becomes  manifest  from  this:  that  amongst  tiiose  disci- 
ples which  Philip  had  baptized,  Simon  the  sorcerer  was  one; 
consequently,  he  was  one  amongst  the  rest  of  those  upon  whom 
Peter  and  John  laid  their  hands;  (for  there  is  no  exception  made 
in  the  text,  by  which  to  conceive  that  Simon  was  excluded  from 
the  benefit  of  the  apostolical  im|)osition  of  hands,  or  from  any 
thing  iioly  supposed  to  flow  througii  them;)  and,  being  one  upon 
whom  the  apostles  laid  iheir  hands,  ii  follows,  that  if  the  Holy 
Ghost  was  either  given  through  the  laying  on  of  their  hands, 
or  received  as  a  consequence  thence  flowing,  then  should  Simon 
the  sorcerer  also,  along  with  the  others,  have  received  the  Holy 
Ghost. 

But  Simon  the  sorcerer  did  not  receive  the  Holy  Ghost;  for 
Peter  pronounced  him  to  be  'in  the  gall  of  bitterness,  and  bond 
of  iniquity;'  and  this  after  he  must  have  received  the  imposi- 
lion  of  hands; 

Therefore,  the  way  through  which  lo  receive  the  Holy  Spirit 
of  the  Lord  is  not  the  pitiful  way  of  men's  hands,  by  any  means; 
for  instead  of  this,  the  way  is,  the  7vay  of  the  Lord,  us  given 
in  his  Jf'ord :  The  King's  hightcay — the  ivay  of  holiness. 
By  walking  in  this  rvay,  we  ask  the  Lord  for  the  comforts  of 
his  Holy  Spirit;  and  to  such,  the  answer  is,  'How  much  more 
shedl  your  hcanenly  Father  give  the  Holy  Spirit  to  them  that 
ask  him.^ 

80.  If  the  power  and  holiness  of  the  apostles  were  not  the 
media  through  which  cripples  might  receive  strength  in  their 
ancle  bones,  (Acts,  iii,  12,)  so  neither  was  their  taking  (hem 
hy  the  right  hand,  nor  yet  their  laying  their  hands  upon  them, 
the  medium  tliroUgli  which  the  licaling  virtue  was  communi- 
cated. Nay,  it  was  through  faith  in  the  name  of  the  liOrd, 
that  the  cripple  received  perfect  health,  and  not  through  ^ny 
thing  pertaining  to  the  apostles,  whether  their  pou  cr,  their 
holiness,  or  their  hands,  (ver.  16.)  Such  being  the  case,  how 
then  can  it  be  rationally  supposed,  that  it  was  through  the 
power  and  holiness  of  the  apostles,  and  thence  through  the 
imposition  of  their  hands,  that  men  received  the  Holy  Spirit  of 
God?  But,  that  such  is  not  the  fact,  has  been  shown  already, 
(see  the  last  number,)  in  the  case  of  Simon  the  sorcerer,  who, 


D.  Art.  3.]      Fellowship,  and  Ignition  thence. 


97 


although  he  received  both  baptism  and  the  imposition  of  hands, 
yet  received  not  the  Holy  Ghost.  Whence  it  follows,  that  the 
design  of  the  imposition  of  hands,  not  being  that  the  Holy 
Spirit,  nor,  indeed,  that  any  other  holy  thing  should  be  trans- 
milted  from  one  man  to  another,  it  must  of  necessity  be  that, 
which  it  has  been  all  along  stated  to  be,  namely,  a  token  of 
acknowledgment,  that  those  receiving  it  are  of  the  household 
of  faith,  and  joint  heirs  with  Chiist  in  his  kingdom,  on  condi- 
tion tiiat  they  continue  stedfast  in  the  faith;  or,  what  is  virtu- 
ally the  same,  that  those  receiving  it  are  thence  received  into 
the  FELLOWSHIP  of  the  saints  on  earth.  (See  numbers  72  to  77.) 
The  case  being  such,  it  was  of  divine  order,  that  the  acknow- 
ledgment in  question,  and  the  fellowsiiip  thence  resulting, 
should  operate  no  otherwise  on  the  part  of  the  recipients  thereof, 
than  to  ignite  the  latent  fire  of  the  Holy  Spirit  within  them, 
and  set  it  all  on  flame.  (Concerning  which,  see  n.  62.)  This 
flame,  as  before  suggested,  for  want  of  perfect  vent  in  the  inner 
man.  Cell  down  on  the  outer  or  external  man,  in  the  shape  of 
flaming  tongues,  or  tongues  of  fire.  But  this  falling  down  of 
the  Holy  Spirit  into  ultimates,  because  it  always  followed  ac- 
knowledgment, and  thence  also  the  external  token  of  it,  when 
given — whether  it  were  the  giving  of  the  right  hand  of  fellowship, 
or  the  imposition  of  hands — therefore  it  was,  that  just  in  propor- 
tion as  men  were  themselves  external,  they  conceived  the  falling 
down  of  the  Holy  Ghost  spoken  of,  to  be  no  other  than  the 
reception  of  it;  and  consistently  herewith,  that  it  was  received 
no  otherwise  than  through  the  power  of  the  apostles,  and  thence 
through  the  imposition  of  their  hands. 

81.  But,  will  it  not  be  strange,  should  it  appear  that  there 
are,  even  at  this  day,  those  who  have  fallen  into  the  error  of 
the  most  external  men  of  the  apostolical  church,  composed  of 
Jewish  materials,  as  it  at  first  was;  or  rather,  into  the  error  of 
Simon  the  sorcerer,  and  have  thence  confirmed  themselves  ia 
it?  It  will  be  recollected,  that  it  is  stated  in  the  Acts  of  the 
Apostles,  that  'when  Simon  saw,  that  through  the  laying  on  of 
the  apostles'  hands  the  Holy  Ghost  was  given,'  etc.;  (viii.  19;) 
'  but  It  is  nowhere  stated,  that  what  Simon  saw  he  saw  truly,  or 
from  the  true  light.  Simon  saw,  but  he  saw  from  the  light  of 
a  sorcerer — from  the  light  of  a  sensual  and  merely  natural  man; 
of  whom  it  is  said,  'he  knoweth  not  the  things  of  the  Spirit, 
for  they  are  spiritually  discerned;'  that  is,  with  spiritual  eyes, 
and  not  with  those  of  a  sensual  or  natural  man,  much  less  with 
those  of  a  sorcerer,  as  were  those  of  Simon. 

It  was  Simon  the  sorcerer  who  saw,  that  power  was  vested 
in  the  apostles,  so  that  on  whomsoever  they  laid  their  hands 

9 


08 


Transfering  the  Holy  Spirit. 


[Chap.  II. 


received  the  Holy  Ghost;  and  therefore  coveted  and  desired  the 
same  power,  to  the  end  that  on  whomsoever  he  laid  his  hands, 
he  might  receive  the  Holy  Ghost.  Nevertheless,  he  saw  all 
this  precisely  as  the  people  in  Solomon^ s  porch  saw,  that  power 
was  vested  in  Peter,  so  that  whomsoever  he  took  by  the  right 
hand  [into  fellowship^  was  thence  healed  of  all  his  infirmities. 
But,  as  Peler  corrected  the  sight  or  understanding  of  the  people, 
charging  them  not  to  think  so,  so  he  also  endeavored  to  improve 
the  -sight  of  the  sorcerer,  by  telling  him  tlial  he  was  in  the  bonds 
of  iniquity,  for  thinking  that  the  gift  of  God,  the  Holy  Spirit, 
could  be  made  the  gift  of  man,  so  that  he  might  bestow  it  on 
whomsoever  he  would.  Let  all  men  therefore  know,  that  it 
was  no  other  than  Simon  the  baptized  sorcerer,  a/eas  Simon  Ma- 
gus, who  had  caused  himself  to  be  conceived  of  as  the  great  power 
of  God,  and  who  thence,  as  a  pope,  sal  enthroned  in  the  hearts 
of  the  people  at  Samaria,  the  seat  of  the  kingdom  (from  the 
days  of  Omri)  of  his  great  genuine  predecessor,  Jeroboam,  or 
Jezebel  the  sorceress,  that  first  conceived  the  idea  of  becoming 
possessed  of  the  gift  of  God,  the  gift  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  so  that 
it  miglit  be  his  own  gift;  and  thence,  that,  as  his  great  prede- 
cessor, Jeroboam,  consecrated,  or  filled  the  hand  of  whomsoever 
he  would  to  be  a  priest,  by  tlie  imposition  o(  his  hands,  so  might 
he  also,  by  the  imposition  of  his,  consecrate  or  fill  the  head  of 
whomsoever  he  would,  with  the  Holy  Ghost,  to  be  a  bishop! 

83.  Having  now  seen,  that  Simon  the  sorcerer  was  the  first 
who  coveted  to  possess  the  power  of  God,  so  that  the  unspeak- 
able gift,  the  gift  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  might  ilience  be  his  o?vn 
gift,  and  the  gift  of  whomsoever  he  miglit  see  fit  to  lay  iiis 
hands  upon,  rather  than  the  gift  of  God,  therefore  it  is,  that 
this,  and  this  alone,  is  the  error  or  heresy  of  Simon  Magus, 
again  exposed  in  the  light  of  heaven,  after  being  concealed  in 
darkness,  from  the  view  of  men,  for  ages  and  ages.  But,  that 
the  hideous  and  abhorrent  nature  of  this  heresy  may  be  duly 
appreciated,  let  it  be  first  known,  that  Simon  the  sorcerer,  in 
the  first  place,  causing  himself  to  be  conceived  of  as  the  great 
power  of  God,  (Acts,  viii.  10,)  reigned  as  the  great  successor 
of  Jeroboam,  or  of  Jezebel  the  sorceress,  at  Samaria,  the  city 
of  Jeroboam's  calves,  (Hosea,  viii.  5,  G;  and  x.  5.) — the  city 
Avherein  the  glory  of  God  became  eclipsed  by  (he  ecclesiastical 
statutes  of  Ahab  and  Omri; — and,  in  the  second  place,  causing 
himself  to  be  conceived  of  as  if  he  were  God  himself,  (ii )  reigned 

(iV)  'Simon  Magus,  the  fiitlier  of  heretics,  came  to  Rome,  and  was  there 
counted  a  god.'    (Gilk-spie  on  Cent.  1.) 

Eu^ebiiis  states,  liat  'Ininiediatoly  after  the  aforesaid  impostor  [Simon 
Magus]  being  smitten  as  to  his  mental  fye,  by  a  divine  anil  supernatural 


D.  Art.  3.]    Successors  of  Jeroboam  arid  Jezebel.  99 


as  the  great  predecessor  of  Romish  popes,  bishops  and  presby- 
ters, and  their  successors  forever,  at  the  city  of  Rome  itself— 
at  the  city  of  antichrist's  bulls — and  where  the  genuine  truths 
of  the  Word,  the  glory  of  God,  became  eclipsed  by  the  ecclesi- 
astical laws  of  the  clergy.  For  when  sucli  is  known  to  be  the 
fact,  then  it  will  become  evident,  that  Simon  the  sorcerer,  of 
Samaria,  and  who,  after  his  baptism,  became  Simon  Magiis  of 
Rome,  must  of  necessity  be  the  very  connecting  link  by  which 
is  joined  together,  in  one  unbroken  chain,  Jeroboam,  Jezebel 
the  sorceress,  with  their  Samaritan  successors,  and  all  popes, 
bishops,  or  other  consecrators  or  ordainers  of  priests,  and  their 
successors  forever,  who,  after  the  example  of  Jeroboam,  claim 
to  consecrate  whomsoever  they  will  to  be  a  priest;  and,  spe- 
cifically, who  (in  accordance  with  that  coveted  and  afterwards 
assumed  by  the  sorcerer  himself)  claim  the  gift  of  the  Holy 
Spirit  to  be  their  oion  gift,  so  that  on  whomsoever  they  shall 
lay  their  hands,  he  shall  receive  the  Holy  Ghost. 

83.  From  the  things  adduced  in  the  number  just  preceding, 
it  becomes  plain,  that,  as  sorcerer,  Simon  was  the  genuine  suc- 
cessor of  Jezebel  the  sorceress;  but,  as  being  a  baptized  sor- 
cerer, that  he  became  thence  the  genuine  predecessor  of  all 
who,  from  the  love  of  self  and  lust  of  dominion,  covet  and  thence 
usurp  dominion  over  the  things  of  heaven;  but,  especially,  of 
all  those  who  claim  the  gift  of  the  Holy  Spirit  to  be  within  the 
limits  of  their  own  gift,  and  thence  to  give  direction  to  the  Holy 
Spirit  (Isaiah,  xl.  13,)  according  to  their  own  judgment.  And, 
because  it  is  well  known,  that  the  papal  clergy,  whether  popes, 
bishops,  or  other  ordaining  ministers,  did  adopt  the  heresy  in 


brilliancy,  as  when,  on  a  former  occasion,  he  was  convicted  of  his  wick- 
edness by  the  apostle  Peter,  'he  fled  from  the  east  to  the  west. '  'Entering 
the  city  of  Rome,  by  the  co-operution  of  tliat  malignant  spirit  which  had 
fixed  its  seat  tlicre,  his  attempts  were  soon  so  far  successful  as  to  be  hon- 
ored as  a  god,  and  thence  with  the  erection  of  a  statue  by  the  inhabitants 
of  that  city,  (p.  . 64,)  in  th«  river  Tyber,  (on  an  island,)  between  the  two 
bridges,  having  the  superscription  in  Latin,  'Simoni  Deo  Sancto,'  which, 
is,  'To  Simon  the  Holy  God.' '  But  what  is  certainly  remarkable  is  that 
Justin,  a  distinguished  writer,  A.  D.  138,  iti  his  first  defence  of  Christianity, 
stated,  that  'a  certain  celebrated  prostitute  of  Tvre,  called  Helen,  at- 
tached herself  to  Simon,  and  was  thence  called  the.Jirsi  idea  thai  proceeded 
from  himP  Eusebius  further  state?,  that  from  Iraeuus  it  is  manifest  'that 
Simon  Magus  took  the  lead  in  all  heresy,'  but  that  nevertheless  his  suc- 
cessors 'still  affect  the  modest  philosophy  of  the  Ciiristians,'  with  this  ex- 
ception, that  the)'  embrace  'the  superstitions  of  idols,  falling  down  before 
the  pictares  and  statues  of  this  self-same  Simon  and  the  aforesaid  Helen 
with  him,  and  offering  them  worship,  by  incense, sacrifices  and  libations;' 
ami,  in  a  word,  that  'every  vile  corruption  that  can  be  done  or  devised, 
is  practised  by  this  abominable  heresy,  to  ensnare  those  wretched  females, 
w  ho  arc  literally  overwhelmed  with  vice.' 


100  Tfansfering  the  Holy  Spirit.         [^Chap.  II. 


queslion,  namely,  that  in  the  piiestliood  is  vested  the  power  to 
give  and  grant  the  gift  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  by  the  imposition  of 
their  hands,  to  such  as  they  shall  judge  worthy  to  become  of 
their  sacred  order,  (see  n.  46,)  and  to  withhold  the  same,  along 
with  the  imposition  of  hands,  from  such  as  they  shall  judge  to 
be  unworthy;  therefore,  it  may  also  be  known,  that  they  are 
the  genuine  successors  of  Simon  Magus,  (who  first  conceived 
that  abhorrent  heretical  principle,)  thence  of  Jezebel  the  sor- 
ceress, and  finally,  of  Jeroboam,  that  great  heresiarch,  who,  at 
the  first,  was  made  supeiintendent  [bishopT  of  the  house  of 
Joseph,  in  repairing  the  breaches  of  the  city  of  David,  but 
being  made  king,  fell  to  building  a  chapel  for  himself,  and 
thence  to  consecrating  whomsoever  he  would  to  be  the  priests 
thereof.  (See  1  Kings,  xiii.  33;  and  Amos,  viii.  13.) 

And,  from  knowing  these  things,  it  also  becomes  known 
■why  it  is,  that  in  the  book  of  Revelation,  (ii.  20,  21,  22,)  Jeze- 
bel is  spoken  of  as  calling  herself  a  prophetess,  and  seducing 
the  servants  of  the  Lord.  For  Jezebel,  as  the  wife  of  Ahab, 
being  deceased  centuries  before  the  time  spoken  of,  it  becomes 
manifest,  that  the  Jezebel  calling  herself  a  prophetess  could  be 
no  other  than  her  genuine  successors,  who  had  insinuated  them- 
selves by  baptism  into  the  church,  of  whom  Simon  the  sorcerer, 
(who  also  called  himself  a  prophet,)  was  head  and  chief.  But, 
for  more  concerning  the  concatenation  of  the  unbroken  chain 
of  connection  existing  between  Jeroboam  and  the  papal  clergy, 
and  (heir  reformed  descendants,  as  his  genuine  successors,  see 
numbers  G  and  38. 

84.  But,  the  question  here  comes  up,  are  there  of  the  clergy 
in  these  days,  other  than  the  papal  clergy,  who  claim  the  giving 
of  the  Holy  Spirit  to  be  within  the  limits  of  their  gift;  and, 
that  they  are  vested  witli  power  to  give  it  to  whomsoever  they 
may  judge  proper,  by  the  imposition  of  their  hands  ?  In  this 
case,  we  shall  let  the  Methodistic  clergy  speak  first  for  them- 
selves ;  but,  10  the  end  that  they  may«not  prevaricate,  their 
speech,  as  laid  in  their  creed  or  Form  of  Discipline,  shall  only 
be  here  noticed.  And  first,  at  page  143,  tliey  may  be  heard  to 
speak  as  follows:  'The  elected  person  shall  be  presented,  by 
two  elders,  unto  the  bishop,  saying.  We  present  unto  5'ou 
|C?°  this  holy  man^ZIil  to  be  ordained  a  bishop.'  Then  (p.  148) 
'the  bishop  and  elders  present  shall  lay  their  hands  upon  the 
liead  of  the  elected  person,  kneeling  before  them  upon  his  knees, 
the  bishop  saying,  |C/"  Receive  the  Holy  Ghost  .^rnl  for  the 
ollice  and  work  of  a  bishop  in  the  church  of  God  now 
committed  unto  thee  by  the  imposition  of  our  hands.  ^Ol  And 
leniembcr  that  thou  stir  up  the  grace  of  God  which  is  given 


D.  Art.3.]     Melhodistic  mode. — Paid  Torlured.  101 


thee  JC?°  by //a's  imposition  of  our  hands;  for  God  hath  not 
given  us  the  spirit  of  fear,  but  of  power. In  this  speech, 
or  voice,  the  following  things  are  exhibited:  y?rs/,  ilie  appli- 
cant for  the  Holy  Ghost  iiunibly  kneeling  before  the  bishop 
and  his  sateliles,  wbo  gravely  lay  their  hands  upon  his  head, 
and  then  the  bishop,  in  solemn  tone,  saying,  ^Receive  the  Holy 
Ghost  now  committed  unto  thee  hij  the  impoailion  of  our  hands  ;^ 
fincdli],  the  bishop  enjoining  it  upon  the  recipient  to  stir 
up  the  grace  of  God — ihatis,  the  Holy  Ghost — which  is  given 
to  him,  by  the  very  hands  now  upon  his  head;  alleging  as  the 
reason  why  he  should  do  so,  that  'God  had  given  them  the 
spirit  of  power,'  that  is,  power,  that  on  whomsoever  they  lay 
their  hands  he  shall  receive  the  Holy  Ghost!    In  the  fear  of 
God,  and  in  the  spirit  of  that  charity  which  never  failelh,  let  it 
be  asked,  whether  the  baptized  sorcerer  ever  wished  for  or  cov- 
eted more?  nay,  even  in  his  longings  after  that  godship  which 
it  is  said  was  acknowledged  in  Rome,  could  he  ever  desire  more 
than  to  see  men  on  their  knees  before  him;  than  to  piously  lay 
his  hands  on  their  head,  and  then  to  take  the  very  place  of  the 
Lord  himself,  by  breathing'  upon  the  recipient,  saying,  'Re- 
ceive the  Holy  Ghost  now  committed  to  thee,  by  the  imposi-  ' 
tion  of  my  hands?'  adding  at  the  same  time,  'Remember  that 
thou  stir  up  the  Holy  Ghost  which  I  have  now  given  to  you, 
by  this  imposition  of  my  hands;  for  know,  that  I  have  not  re- 
ceived the  spirit  of  fear,  but  the  spirit  of  the  great  power  of 
God  J  (See  Acts,  viii.  10.)    When  did  the  pulse  of  the  sorcerer 
ever  throb,  or  his  breast  swell  for  more  than  all  this  ?    In  all 
his  pantings  after  greatness,  godship  and  glory,  that  he  might 
be  looked  upon  as  some  great  one;  that  he  might  seize  the 
dominion  over  fieaven  above  and  the  earth  beneath,  and  in  his 
most  blissful  visions  of  insanity  thence  flowing,  did  he  ever 
anticipate  power  to  do  more? — to  do  more  than  consecrate 
whomsoever  he  would  to  be  his  successors,  by  charging  or  fill- 
ing them  with  his  own  ghostly  disposition  or  spirit,  falling  down 
from  himselO  which  should  be  called  the  falling  down  of  the 
Holy  Ghost  from  heaven  upon  them,  through  the  imposition  of 
his  hands  ?    That  the  Methodistic  clergy  would  have  the  world 
to  know,  that  the  gift  of  the  Holy  Ghost  is  their  own  gift, 
whether  purchased  with  money,  or  usurped,  or  otherwise,  so 
that  on  whomsoever  they  may  lay  their  hands  he  shall  receive 
the  Hoi)'  Ghost,  is  still  farther  manifest  from  this,  that  as  if  it 
was  their  main  design  to  obliterate  all  idea  of  the  gift  in  ques- 
tion as  being  the  gift  of  God,  they  have,  in  repeating  the  words 
'of  Paul  to  Timothy,  in  their  ceremony  of  ordination,  as  above 
adduced,  left  out  the  words  'gift  of  God,'  as  they  stand  in  the 

9* 


102 


Transfering  the  Holy  Spirit. 


[Chap.  II. 


common  translation,  and  inserted  in  their  stead,  ^ grace  of  Gocl;^ 
and,  after  otherwise  altering  the  text,  so  as  in  all  points  to  make 
one  with  the  heresy  of  Simon  Magus,  they  then  present  it  to 
the  world  as  follows:  'And  remember,  that  thou  stir  up  tlie 
grace  of  God  which  is  given  thee  by  this  imposition  of  our 
hands;  for  God  hath  not  given  us  the  spirit  of  fear,  but  of  power, 
and  love,  and  soberness.'  (Concerning  which,  see  n.  76.) 
Thus  would  these  men  pervert  the  apostle,  in  order  to  induce 
the  world  to  believe,  that  God  had  really  endowed  them  with 
power,  that  on  whomsoever  they  might  lay  their  hands,  he 
shall  receive  tlie  Holy  Ghost;  when  yet  the  baptized  sorcerer 
stood  self-condemned  before  Peter,  as  one  in  the  gall  of  bitter- 
ness and  bonds  of  iniquity;  and  as  one  who  had  neither  part, 
lot,  nor  inheritance  in  the  church,  for  coveting  and  earnestly 
desiring  power  for  the  very  sarne  pui'pose ! 

85.  Simon  saiv,  that  through  the  laying  on  of  the  apostles' 
hands,  the  Holy  Ghost  was  given;  and  thus  seeing,  claimed 
that  the  necessary  power  to  thus  give  the  Holy  Ghost  was 
vested  in  the  apostles.  Whence,  from  the  lust  of  dominion, 
coveting  the  same  power  more  than  money,  after  receiving 
Peter's  notable  rebuke,  he  went  to  Rome  and  there  assumed  it, 
exercised  it,  and  taught  the  things  pertaining  to  it.  This,  it  is 
conceived,  he  must  have  done,  or  he  would  not  have  been  con- 
sidered as  an  arch  heretic,  and  as  the  father  of  heretics,  by  the 
men  of  the  primitive  church;  nor  as  a  god,  by  the  multitude 
who  adored  him.  Nay,  this  it  is  now  known  he  must  have 
done,  especially  seeing,  that  his  abhorrent  heresy,  in  being 
transmitted  successively,  exists  at  the  present  time  in  an  innu- 
merable multitude.  Nevertheless,  although  the  successors  of 
Simon  amounted  to  millions,  all  of  whom  were  willing  to  verify 
upon  oath,  that  they  saiv  just  as  Simon  did,  namely,  that 
'through  the  laying  on  of  the  apostles'  hands  the  Holy  Ghost 
was  given,'  still  it  would  remain  a  truth,  that  whatever  Simon 
saw  in  relation  to  the  Holy  Spirit,  he  saw,  as  before  suggested, 
with  no  other  eyes  than  those  of  a  sorcerer;  on  at  best,  than 
those  of  a  sensual,  carnal,  or  natural  man.  Simon  saw  the 
things  of  the  Spirit,  as  his  brother  Elymas  the  sorcerer  saw 
things,  after  he  was  struck  blind  by  the  light  of  heaven;  or,  iii 
a  word,  as  owls  see  objects  in  the  bright  light  of  the  sun  ! 
(Compare  note  ii,  n.  82.) 

86.  But,  that  the  Melhodistic  clergy  do  see,  claim,  assume, 
and  thence  teach,  precisely  the  same  things,  that  Simon  saw, 
claimed,  and  thence  assumed  and  taught,  is  suflicientiy  mani- 
fested from  their  words,  as  above  noticed.  Will  they  indeed 
attempt  to  deny  that  they  see  as  Simon  saw,  namely,  that 


D.  Art.  3.]        Remarkable  Correspondences. 


103 


through  the  laijins;  on  of  the  apostles^  hands  the  Holy  Ghost 
was  given  ?  Wiil  they  deny,  that  they  duim  for  the  apostles, 
as  Simon  did,  namely,  that  power  was  vested  in  them  to  commit 
or  give  tlie  Holy  Ghost  by  tlie  imposition  of  tiieir  iiands  ?  Or, 
will  they  attempt  to  deny,  that  they  have  gravely  assumed  the 
exercise  of  that  power,  that  Simon  coveted,  namely,  the  power 
that  on  whomsoever  he  laid  his  hands  he  should  receive  the 
Holy  Ghost  ?  Not  one  of  these  things  can  they  ever  deny, 
while  they  acknowledge  the  things  laid  in  their /o?7U  of  LUsci- 
pline,  p.  148. 

87.  If,  then,  it  be  true  indeed,  that  the  Methodistic  clergy 
claim  to  give  direction  to  the  Spirit  of  the  Lord  by  their  hands; 
(lsaiah,"xl.  13;)^ — if  they  claim  that  the  Spirit  of  the  Lord  must 
be  poured  out  from  on  high  through  their  arms  and  hands 
upon  the  heads  of  those,  and  those  alone,  whom  they  may  ad- 
judge to  be  worthy;  (Isaiah,  xxxii.  15;) — if  they  claim  that 
*the  residue  of  the  Spirit^  is  stored  up  with  them,  so  that  they 
may  dole  it  out  to  wiiomsoever  they  may,  by  the  imposition  of 
their  iiands; — if  they  claim  to  place  themselv  es  in  the  same 
altitude,  post,  or  office,  in  relation  to  men,  that  the  Lord  did, 
while  in  the  world,  and  thence,  as  the  Lord  breathed  upon 
and  said  to  his  disciples  'receive  ye  the  Holy  Ghosi,  claim  also 
to  breathe  upon  men,  whether  the  Lord's  disciples  or  their  own, 
and  say,  'receive  ye  the  Holy  Ghost;' — and,  in  a  word,  if  they 
claim  and  thence  exercise  the  power  that  the  baptized  sorcerer 
coveted,  namely,  if  they  gravely  go  about  to  commit  or  give  the 
Holy  Ghost  to  any  man,  by  the  imposition  of  their  hands,  (this 
being  what  the  sorcerer  coveted  power  to  do,] — then  they  must 
not  be  offended  should  they  be  told,  that  they  are  the  genuine 
successors  of  Simon  Magus,  the  baptized  sorcerer,  rather  than 
of  the  apostles  and  prophets  of  the  Lord  and  his  Christ. 
.  If  the  shepherds,  spoken  of  in  the  prophets,  be  the  Method- 
istic clergy,  and  the  principal  of  the  flock  be  their  bishops  and 
ordaining  ministers,  which  way  then  is  leA  for  the  former  to 
fly  from,  or  for  the  latter  to  escape  the  charge  of  being  the 
genuine  successors  of  Simon  Magus,  the  father  of  heretics  J 
If  they  would  evade  the  charge,  by  attempting  to  separate  the 
heresy  of  the  sorcerer  from  the  foundation  of  their  clerical  edi- 
fice, they  must  needs  take  away  its  foundation  altogether,  until 
it  tumbles  down  !  until  it  becomes  a  pile  of  ruins  ! 

The  men  of  the  church  in  future  ages  will  look  with  anger 
and  indignation  on  clerical  edifices,  in  consequence  of  their 
knowing,  that  it  is  nothing  more  than  the  simoniacal  brick, 
imbedded  in  slime,  [bitumen,]  laid  up  therein,  that  causes  them 
to  overtop  the  humble  dwellings  of  the  laity  ! 


104 


Transfering  the  Holy  Spirit. 


[Chap.  II. 


88.  But,  although  similar  observations  and  illustralions,  in 
relation  lo  the  heresy  of  Simon  Magus,  are  susceptible  of  being 
made,  in  reference  to  all  the  branches  of  the  consummated 
church,  in  a  greater  or  less  degree,  yet,  for  the  sake  of  brevity, 
it  will  be  sufficient  to  observe,  that  the  judicious  reader  who  has 
attentively  considered  the  principles  above  adduced,  and  espe- 
cially the  manner  in  which  they  are  justly  brought  to  bear 
against  the  Methodistic  clergy,  will  thence  be  perfectly  able  to 
apply  them,  as  far  as  may  be  just  and  proper,  to  the  other  classes 
of  the  clergy,  without  the  aid  of  a  prompter. 

89.  We  might  here  have  closed  this  section,  were  it  not 
that  it  remains  lo  be  told,  wliy  it  is,  that  the  heresy  of  Simon 
Magus  is  unknown  at  this  day;  and,  to  this  end,  let  it  first  be 
observed,  that  as  it  is  impossible  for  a  man  to  esteem  that  as 
heresy  which  he  believes  and  practises,  so,  it  is  impossible  for 
the  clergy  to  esteem  the  genuine  heresy  of  Simon  Magus  as  a 
heresy,  whilst  they  love  it,  believe  it,  and  practice  it  accordingly. 
Sucii  being  the  case,  it  must  be  observed  farther,  that,  knowing 
on  all  hands,  from  the  testimony  of  tlie  primitive  church,  and 
also  from  the  tremendous  rebuke  that  Peter  gave  to  the  sorcerer, 
thai  he  must  have  been  not  only  a  lierelic,  but  an  impious 
heretic;  and,  in  the  second  place,  the  clergy's  not  knowing 
that  they  had  adopted  the  very  heretical  principle  of  liie  sor- 
cerer itself  from  tlieir  immediate  predecessors,  (lo  whom  it  had 
been  transmitted  througli  a  long  line  of  other  predecessors — so 
long,  indeed,  that  the  farther  end  of  it,  being  lost  in  obscurity, 
was  fondly  conceived  to  be  fixed  permanently  in  that  building, 
built  up  by  the  apostles  and  prophets,  Christ  himself  being  tiie 
corner  stone,) — it  followed,  of  necessity,  that  the  clergy,  and 
with  them  the  men  of  the  church,  should  absolutely  lose  sight 
of  wiiat  the  heresy  of  Simon  !\Iagus  originally  was  !  And, 
having  thus  lost  sight  of  if,  it  is  wonderful  to  witness  their  con- 
jectures in  relation  to  what  it  really  was.    At  one  time,  it  was 
conceived  to  consist,  not  in  a  man's  intensely  coveting  and  de- 
siring power,  that  on  whomsoever  he  might  lay  his  han<l3  he 
.should  receive  the  Holy  Ghost;  seeing,  it  was  ihought,  that  to 
covet  and  desire  this,  is  only  to  covet  or  desire  to  be  a  bishop, 
and,  that  he  who  covets  or  desires  ihe  office  of  a  bishop  desires 
a  good  work;  (1  Tim.,  iii.  1;) — but  contrariwise,  in  his  de- 
siring that  office  above  gold,  and  tiience,  in  being  willing  to 
give  all  he  had  in  exchange  for  it ! 

Blackstone  informs  us,  that  it  is  decided,  in  accordance  with 
the  conscience  and  wisdom  of  the  clergy  of  the  church  of  Eng- 
land, that  simony  (that  is,  the  heresy  of  Simon  Magus,)  consists 
in  'the  corrupt  presentation  of  any  one  lo  an  ecclesiastical  ben- 


D.  Art.  3.]  Simony — Conjectures  as  to  ichat  it  is. 


105 


efice,  for  money,  gift,  or  reward;'  though  the  learned  judge, 
for  his  own  part,  seems  to  thinii,  that  'the  purchasing  of  holy 
orders  seems  to  approach  nearer  to  the  heresy.'  However, 
he  stales,  that  'by  tiie  statute  12  Ann,'  it  is  provided,  liiat  'if 
any  person  shall,  for  money  or  profit,  procure  in  his  own  name, 
or  in  the  name  of  any  other,  the  next  presentation  to  pny  eccle- 
siastical living,  and  shall  be  presented  theieupon,  this  is  de- 
clared to  be  a  simoniacal  contract;  and  the  party  shall  be  sub- 
ject to  all  tiie  ecclesiastical  penalties  of  Simony.'  (Vol.  2,  278.) 

90.  But,  that  the  learned  prelates  of  the  church  of  England 
know  not  what  the  heresy  of  Simon  Magus  is,  appears  from 
this:  that  in  order  that  it  should  appear,  that  the  presentation 
of  a  man  to  an  ecclesiastical  benefice  for  money,  is  the  heresy 
in  question,  it  were  necessary,  in  the  first  place,  that  it  should 
appear,  that  Peter  and  John  were  the  patrons  of  all  the  ecclesi- 
astical benefices  of  the  apostolic  church;  and,  that  Simon  Ma- 
gus, desiring  to  be  presented  to  one  of  them,  (perhaps  a  very 
fat  one!)  to  that  end  attempted  to  bribe  the  patrons,  by  offering 
them  money  !  But,  because  an  attempt  to  make  such  things 
appear,  would  manifestly  be  the  height  of  folly,  therefore  it  is 
unworthy  of  farther  notice.  And  not  only  so,  but,  that  the 
learned  judge  [Blackstone]  should  make  out  his  case  clearly, 
namely,  that  the  heresy  of  Simon  Magus  consisted  in  the  pur- 
chasing of  holy  orders  with  money,  it  were  necessary,  in  the 
first  place,  to  make  it  appear,  that  the  object  of  Peter  and  John's 
visit  to  Samaria  was  to  make  and  ordain  priests,  and  grant 
licenses  to  preach,  to  all  those  whom  Philip  had  ba[)tized; 
[Simon  Magus  excepted;]  and  which  ordinations  or  licenses 
constituted  them  all  clerks  in  holy  orders!  And,  that  Simon 
Magus,  not  being  ordained  along  with  the  others,  thus  not  le- 
ceiving  holy  orders,  offered  Peter  and  John  money  in  exchange 
for  that  which  they  had  graciously  granted  to  all  the  rest  for 
nothing !  Nay,  it  were  necessary  also  to  make  it  appear,  that 
all  those  disciples  which  Paul  found  at  Epiiesus,  who  had  not 
even  so  much  as  heard  whether  there  be  an  Holy  Spirit,  who 
were  baptized  by  Paul,  and  who  were  ordained  similar  in  all 
respects  with  those  above  spoken  of,  (ordained  by  Peter  and 
John,)  were  all  thence  m;\de  licensed  preachers,  ordained  priests 
or  clerks  in  holy  orders.'  and  thence  also,  that  all  who  recieved 
the  imposition  of  the  apostles'  hands,  were  straightway  con- 
verted from  disciples  into  bishops,  elders  and  deacons.  But, 
because  it  is  conceived  that  an  attempt  to  make  all  these  things 
appear  demonstrably  true,  would  be  nothing  less  than  folly  and 
insanity,  therefore  farther  notice  of  them  is  unnecessary. 

91.  Bui,  although  the  heresy  of  Simon  Magus  has  been  ini- 


106 


Ex-officio  Membership.  [Chap.  HI. 


known  to  the  clergy  and  learned  men  of  the  consummated 
church,  in  consequence  of  their  having  adopted  it,  as  the  very 
foundation  of  the  whole  hieratchal  or  clerical  edifice;  and  al- 
though, instead  of  liglit,  they  have  nothing  to  offer  the  world 
lespecting  it,  but  pitiful  conjecture,  amounting  to  darkness  still 
darker;  yet  it  has  pleased  tlie  Lord  to  restore  the  knowledge 
of  it  to  the  men  of  his  New  Church,  and  this  to  the  end  that 
they  might  deprecate  the  evil  lliereof,  and  fly  from  it  with  ab- 
horrence. To  them  it  has  been  revealed,  through  tlie  Apoca- 
lypse Revealed,  n.  S02,  that  the  transmission  of  the  Holy  Spirit 
from  one  man  to  another,  whether  by  the  imposition  of  hands, 
or  otherwise,  is  an  invention  of  the  devil;  and,  tiiat  Simon  Ma- 
gus and  his  successors  are  they  who  practise  and  use  it,  has 
been  seen  abundantly  already.  But  from  this  it  also  follows, 
that  because  tlie  Holy  Spirit  cannot  be  transmitted  from  one 
man  to  another  by  the  imposition  of  hands,  so  neither  can  any 
thing  holy  be  transmitted  from  one  man  to  another  that  way. 
But,  if  nothing  holy  can  be  communicated  or  transmitted  by  the 
imposition  of  hands,  it  will  follow,  that  the  form  understood  by 
the  imposition  of  hands,  is  not  in  itself  holy,  more  than  any 
other  form  or  position  conceivable.  Whence  it  is  conceived, 
that  to  teach  that  the  imposition  of  hands  in  tlie  ordination  of 
a  mmister  is  a  holy  form,  is  the  same  as  to  teach  that  the  Holy 
Spirit  is  thence  transmitted  or  communicated  ;  and  that,  to 
teach  this,  is  only  to  teach  ihe  heresy  of  Simon  Magus,  the 
sorcerer.    (Compare  Precursor,  vol.  3,  p.  74.) 


CHAPTER  HI. 

(Note  D. — Article  III.) 

Concerning  Ex-officio  Membership,  in  the  councils  or  convcn- 
tions  of  the  Church,  claimed  by  the  clergy. 

92.  As  touching  this  right,  claimed  by  the  clergy,  it  is  ask- 
ed, in  the  lirst  place,  why  should  such  right  be  awarded,  at 
least  until  we  are  informed  who  those  privileged  gentry  are? 
If  the  clergy  luay  be  admitted  as  members  of  a  body  or  conven- 
tion of  the  New  Church,  merely  by  virtue  of  their  oflicc,  that  is, 
merely  because  they  are  the  clergy,  then  why  not,  by  the  same 
rule,  admit  them  to  membership  in  the  New  Church,  independ- 
ently of  their  becoming  newchiirchmcn  at  all?  In  civil  insti- 
tutions, where  civil  liberty  and  freedom  are  guarded,  as  in  the 
Constitution  of  the  United  States,  the  rights,  powers  and  pre- 


D.  Art.  3.] 


Papal  Thunders. 


107 


rogalives  of  the  officers  thereof  are  not  only  defined,  but  with 
this  it  is  also  there  laid  down,  how  such  officers  are  lo  be  created 
and  brought  into  existence.  But  the  case  is  not  correspondently 
so  in  ecclesiastical  institutions,  where  spiritual  liberty  is  tram- 
pled upon  and  disregarded,  as  is  the  case  in  all  the  ecclesiastical 
constitutions  established  under  the  auspices  of  the  clergy;  for, 
in  these,  although  the  rights,  powers  and  prerogatives  of  the 
clergy  be  set  out  in  alio  relievo,  yet  nothing  is  ever  said  in 
relation  to  bringing  themselves  into  existence  ;  but,  instead  of 
this,  as  though  iliey  never  had,  or  needed  a  beginning  in  this 
world,  abundant  provision  is  only  made  that  they  may  never 
have  an  end  ! — that  the  clerical  succession  may  endure  forever! 

93.  In  civil  constitutions,  wiiere  freedom  and  equal  rights 
are  respected  and  regarded,  the  constitution  itself  is  prior,  and 
llie  offi(;ers  posterior;  thus  the  very  creatures  of  it,  subscivient 
and  subordinate  to  it.  But,  in  ecclesiastical  constitutions, 
framed  under  the  auspices  of  the  clergy,  freedom  in  spiritual 
things,  and  the  right  of  holding  every  duty,  function,  or  use  of 
the  church  in  common,  being  usually  neither  respected  nor  re- 
garded, it  necessarily  results,  that  the  clergy  themselves  are 
considered  as  prior,  and  the  constitution  posterior,  thus  the 
creature  of  the  clergy,  subservient  and  subortiinate  to  them. 
Wherefore,  it  follows,  that  as  the  former  species  of  constitutions 
are  adapted  to  the  civil  wants  and  necessities  of  the  people,  so. 
the  latter  are  adapted  to  the  ecclesiastical  wants  and  unholy 
claims  of  the  clergy.  But,  that  such  is  really  the  case,  in  rela- 
tion to  all  constitutions  and  ecclesiastical  laws  whatever,  framed 
under  the  auspices  of  the  clergy,  namely,  that  their  end  and 
tendency  is  only  to  promote  the  domination  of  the  clergy,  rather 
than  tiie  spiritual  freedom  of  the  men  of  the  clijrch,  becomes 
still  more  manifest  from  the  report  of  the  clergy  themselves, 
thundered  in  the  ears  of  the  men  of  the  church,  of  almost  every 
nation  and  people,  kindred  and  tongue  ! 

94.  The  papal  clergy  have  reported  from  the  Vatican,  in 
stentorophonic  peals  of  thunder,  that  their  scat,  their  poioer, 
and  their  great  authority,  are  from  on  high,  and  not  from  the 
laity; — that  every  true  son  of  the  church  will  cause  his  pre- 
conceived opinions  and  prejudices  to  submit  to  clerical  author- 
ity;— and  that  the  laity  must  take  their  faith,  and  all  things  else 
necessary  to  salvation,  from  the  hands  of  the  clergy,  who  are 
their  spiritual  superiors.  And  that  it  may  be  seen,  that  such 
report  is  re-echoed,  even  by  men  claiming  to  be  of  the  clergy 
of  the  New  Church,  compare  Precursor,  vol.  2,  p.  10. 

95.  The  papal  clergy,  by  their  bloody  works  and  deeds, 
have  inscribed  their  report,  as  in  characters  of  blood,  so  legible 


108 


Ex-officio  Membership.  [Chap.  III. 


that  he  who  runs  may  read.  Nay,  a  mere  novice  may  read  in 
their  report  the  following  things,  namely:  that  those  principles, 
which  involve  ecclesiastical  laws  and  government,  require  and 
demand  nothing  less  than  themselves  to  be  the  agents  to  carry 
them  out  into  efl'ect; — that  themselves  are  the  holy  form  of  which 
such  principles  are  the  essence; — that  between  the  essence  and 
form  there  exists  a  necessary  connection,  which  to  dissolve 
would  annihilate  the  universe,  and  rend' asunder  ivhut  God  has 
joined  togeiher; — that  any  effort  to  interrupt  tiiis  connection, 
or  to  invalidate  the  authority  of  the  clergy,  so  as  to  interrupt 
them  in  carrying  out  into  effect  the  laws  of  church  order  em- 
bodied within  them,  is  to  aim  a  blow  at  the  very  foundation  of 
the  church; — lliat,  should  the  clergy  never  so  much  abuse  their 
power,  the  laily  must  never  think  of  taking  the  power  into  their 
own  hands,  so  as  thence  to  choose  and  ordain  their  own  min- 
isters, after  the  example  of  the  German  peasantry,  of  whom 
20,000  perished  for  their  rashness  and  presumption;  (seen. 40;) 
— that  the  laity,  in  attempting  to  tlius  take  the  power  into  their 
own  hands,  do  in  fact  only  create  the  abuse  of  which  they  com- 
plain !  and  that  gospel  freedom  does  not  consist  in  the  laity's 
doing  just  as  tiiey  please,  by  any  means;  but  in  humbly  and 
submissively  submitting  to  the  ecclesiastical  laws  of  church 
order,  which  the  clergy  have  carried  out  from  the  principles 
embodied  within  them.  And  liere,  also,  let  it  be  noted,  that 
such  report  is  remarkably  re-echoed,  even  by  men  claiming  to 
be  of  the  clergy  of  ihe  New  Church  of  the  Lord.  (Compare 
Precursor,  voL  2,  p.  340,  341.) 

96.  The  papal  clergy,  in  all  ages,  have  abhorred  and  nauseated 
every  form  of  government  that  favored  the  libeities  of  the  peo- 
ple, whether  in  spiritual  or  natural  things.  The  spirit  of  re- 
publican principles  is  at  perfect  antipodes  with  their  spirit. 
Tiie  liberty  of  the  press  is  with  them  an  insupportable  licen- 
tiousness; and,  where  they  have  power,  they  muzzle  and  re- 
strict it  so,  that  nothing  shall  emanate  from  it  against  strict 
orthodoxy — that  is,  their  own  opinions  and  unholy  claims. 
Whence  it  is  manifest,  that  the  papal  clergy  can  never  be  good 
republicans  :  like  bears  of  the  north,  they  can  only  dwell  in  the 
icy  regions  of  despotism  ;  and  that  their  cold  sphere,  worse 
than  the  deadly  samiel  of  the  desert,  breathes  death  to  all  liber- 
ty, civil  and  religious.  And  that  such  is  really  the  case,  in 
relation  to  the  papal  clergy,  may  be  seen  from  this,  thai  they 
have  reported  in  thunder,  that  the  church  must  be  governed  by 
the  Lord's  agents,  vicars,  or  representatives — whose  repre- 
sentatives they  or  their  popes  are; — that  the  spiritual  [meaning 
themselves]  must  rule  the  temporcd  [the  laily]  by  all  sorts  of 


D.  Art.  3. J     Great  Object  of  Eccl.  Constitutions.  lOd 


means  and  pxpedients  when  necessary;  (n.  55,  ait.  31;) — and 
thai  '^republican  principles,  which  involve  in  ihem,  Uni  the  lailjr 
may  gui'ern  themselves  as  of  themselves  fiom  the  Lord,  are  the 
bane  of  the  church.^  And  here  again,  'go,  note  it  in  a  book,* 
that  even  this  pari  of  the  papal  report  is  remarkably  re  echoed 
by  tiiose  who  claim  to  be  the  clergy  of  ilie  New  Church  of  the 
Lord,  (precursor,  vol.  2,  p.  240,  first  column.; 

97.  But  returninij  to  the  main  subject,  the  question  comes 
«p,  namely:  who  can  for  one  moment  doubt,  thai  constitutions, 
involving  ecclesiasiical  laws,  adopted  and  establislied  under  the 
auspices  of  the  papal  clergy,  have  any  other  end  than  the  es- 
talilishmeiit  of  all  their  unhnly  claims,  as  indicated  and  express- 
ed ill  their  report,  adduced  in  the  numbers  just  preceding;  and 
llience  of  their  dominion  over  the  souls  and  bodies  of  llie  laity? 
(See  L.  J.,  n.  58.)  But,  not  doubling  this,  how  then  can  it  be 
doubled  that  ecclesiastical  laws  and  church  constitutions,  de- 
vised, prescribed  and  established  by  the  clergy  and  iheir  ctea- 
tirres,  though  claiming  to  be  of  the  New  Cliurcli,  but  who, 
nevertheless,  conlend  for  nol  a  whit  less  of  clerical  power  and 
prerogative  than  tliat  awarded  to  the  papal  clergy,  must  of  ne- 
cessiiy  h;ive  the  same  end,  namely,  the  esiablishmenl  of  clerical 
claims,  and  thence  domininn  over  the  holy  things  of  the  church? 
Whence  it  also  follows,  iliat  if  the  constitution  of  the  Western 
Coiueniifui  ol'  the  New  Church  has  been  devised,  framed  and 
established  by  ecclesiastics  wlio  favor  the  things  contained  in 
the  papal  re[)'iri  in  question,  ihen  must  the  principal  end  of  ihat 
consiiuiiion  also  be  no  other  tlian  to  establish  tin;  unholy  claims 
of  the  clertry,  and  thence  their  dominion  over  the  laity,  rather 
than  to  promote  freedom  in  spiritual  things  with  the  men  of  ilie 
church.  But  that  such  is  tlie  principal  end  of  the  constitution 
in  quesiion,  appears  still  more  manifest  from  thi.-.,  ttiat  the 
cleroy  are  iniroduced  into  view  by  means  of  it,  either  as  if  ihey 
were  supeniaiural  beings,  uncreate  and  uncreatable,  or  self- 
created  if  not  pope-created  creatures,  rather  than  as  the  creatures 
of  the  con-liiuii<m,  and  posterior  to  it.  And,  not  only  so,  but 
especially  from  this,  that  they  are  introduced,  by  means  of  it, 
into  the  councils  or  conveniions  of  the  New  Church,  signified 
by  the  New  Jerusalem,  not  because  they  are  receivers  of  her 
lieavenly  doctrines,  but  because  they  are  the  clergy.'  (See  the 
Ci>nsiimli(>n,  Precursor,  vol.  3,  p.  172.) 

98.  I  laving  now  seen,  that  constitutions  involving  ecclesi- 
astical laws,  even  as  referred  to  the  New  Church,  are  no  other 
than  ihe  crea  iires  of  ihe  clergy,  adapted  to  the  establishment 
of  iheir  unholy  claims,  and  of  their  dominion  iheiice  over  the 
laiiy,  shall  it  nol  be  told,  that  such  conslitulioas,  as  referred  to 

10 


110 


JBx-ojfficio  Membership.  [Chap.  III. 


t}inse  claiming  to  be  protestants,  to  have  protested  against  the 
traditions  and  commandmenis  of  men,  are  neveriheless  not  only 
adopted,  but  shamelessly  adapted  to  the  same  end  ?  Who  is  he, 
that  has  not  seen,  thai  the  constitution  ol  the  Methodisiic  church, 
called  Form  of  Discipline,  is  no  other  than  the  creature  of  the 
clergy,  and  altogether  adapted  to  the  establishment  of  all  ilieir 
unhidy  f  Irtims,  and  their  dominion  thence,  over  the  souls  of  the 
priest-ridden  laity?  Nay,  tliat  they  even  acknowledge  it  to  be 
their  own  creature,  may  be  seen  from  this,  lli-it  they  say  Ihey 
esteem  it  their  privilege  to  recommend  to  the  members  of  thkir 
church  THEIR  form  of  discipline ;  that,  forsooth,  it  has  been 
FOUNDED  on  the  sage  experience  of  years,  on  observations,  on 
lemarks,  etc.;  and  that  they  wish  to  see  it  in  the  house  of  every 
J^/ethodiftt,  so  thai  each  might  read,  mark,  learn  and  inwardly 
digest  the  whole.    (Comp:ire  p.  5.) 

But,  is  it  iiet'essary  to  gravely  inform  the  reader,  that  in 
Meihndistic  conventions  or  conferences,  the  clergy  are  all  ex- 
officio  members  ?  Is  it  not  provided  in  their  form  of  discipline 
tliKt  such  conferences  sh:dl  be  all  their  own  ?  Purelj'  cleiic;!!  ? 
Nay,  as  if  it  might  dissolve  the  universe  to  share  their  seat  in 
conference  with  laynii-n,  they  have  tlieiefore  as  uiteily  excluded 
them  from  all  share  in  the  aduiitiisiralion  of  ecclesi.isiic  d  affaiis 
as  ever  did  the  ministers  of  Antichrist  before  them.  But,  have 
they  made  no  provisirm  for  their  disciples  ?  Verily,  they  have  ; 
for  they  have  provided  band- meetings,  class-meeiings  and  cir- 
cuit-preacher-meetitigs  to  suffocation;  and,  as  if  this  were  not 
enouoh,  ihey  have  given  them  their  form  of  discipline  to 
inwardly  digest  J — not  that  th»*y  should  thence  think  of  mend- 
ing the  laws  therein  biid,  but  that  they  sIhmiM  keep  them  ! 

99.  But,  what  shall  be  said  in  relation  to  the  Calvinislic 
cliurch,  to  the  end  that  she  also  may  take  shame,  provided,  her 
face  be  not  of  flint  and  hei  brow  of  brnss  ?  Must  it  not  be  lold, 
tliat  the  constitution  of  that  church,  called  the  Confession  of 
Faith,  is  no  other  than  the  creature  of  the  clergy;  nnd  ilnit  it 
emanated  first  essentially  from  J<di!i  Cidvin,  but  Mficrwards 
riorc  formnlly  from  about  forty  of  the  clergy  assemliletl  :it 
Westminster;  but  since  that,  has  been  inade,  by  adoption,  the 
creature  of  thiiusantis  of  others,  as  that  best  adapted  to  the  es- 
tablishment of  their  unholy  c'aiins,  and  their  dominion  thence 
over  the  souls  of  the  laity  ?  Of  C;dvin,  the  great  founder  of 
the  Calvinistic  constitution,  whether  hcresiarch  or  hii-rmch 
only,  it  should  be  known,  that  so  intent  was  he  upon  eslidilisli- 
ing  the  dominir)n  of  the  cle  gv.  by  means  of  eci-lesi:istic-Hl  insii- 
tuiiotis,  laws,  etc.,  th  it,  agreenhlv  to  Deza.  p.  29.  he  jiciiially 
understood  these  words  ol  the  Lord,  'Seek  fiist  the  kingdom  of 


D.  Arl.3.]     Trial  of  Candidates  for  the  Ministry.  Ill 


heaven,'  etc..  to  mean,  that  the  clergy  were  in  the  first  place 
to  prescribe  laws  of  ecclesiastical  polity  from  the  best  juilijinent 
of  ilie  coiincil  of  their  own  will,  wliich  should  be  publicly  es- 
tablished by  the  civil  powei  !  And  who  is  so  dull  of  siolit  as 
nni  10  see,  that  in  thus  seeking  the  kingdom  of  heaven,  the 
highest  place  would,  as  a  matter  of  course,  fall  to  the  clergy, — 
from  which,  like  Lucifer  on  the  mount  of  the  convention,  on 
the  sides  of  the  north,  they  might  gravely  look  down  upon  the 
laiiy,  and  inform  them,,  that  the  Lord  had  cummitied  ihe  gov- 
ernmetii  of  the  church,  along  wiili  the  keys  of  ihe  kingdom  of 
lieaven,  inlo  the  hands  of  his  officers,  ihe  clergy  !  (See  preface 
to  ihe  Coiistiinti  )n  of  ilie  Associate  Reformeil  Cliurcii,  and  Con- 
fession of  Faiih,  pp.  166  to  170,  Edinburgh  edition.)  Whence, 
seeing  that  the  constitution  of  ihe  Calvinisiic  chnrch  is  the  very 
creature  of  the  clergy,  ad.ipted  to  ihe  promotion  of  all  their  iin- 
lioly  claims,  ihence  of  iheir  dominion  over  the  things  of  heaven; 
and  seeing  that,  blinded  by  ihe  lust  of  dominion,  they  actually 
seem  to  think,  that  to  seek  the  kingdom  of  heaven,  is  no  oilier 
than  to  usurp  the  throne  thereoj;  to  [jrescribe  laws  to  the  sub- 
jects thereof;  and  finally,  lo  seize  upon  the  keys  thereof,  to  the 
end  thai  they  might  let  into,  and  turn  out  of  heaven  with  a  higli 
Jiand  and  outstretched  arm  whomsoever  they  chose,  according 
their  own  sovereign  will  and  judgment  thence  flowing, — naniely, 
seeing  such  things,  were  it  not  supeifluous  to  inquire,  whether 
the  Calvinisiic  clergy  are,  by  means  of  their  own  constitutions 
and  laws,  constituted  ex-officio  members  of  their  conventions  or 
synods 


CHAPTER  IV. 

(Note  D. — Article  III.) 

Concerning  the  Right  of  admitting  Candidates  to  the  Minis- 
terial Office,  claimed  by  the  clergy. 

100.  That  this  is  a  right  claimed  by  the  clergy  of  the  papal 
church,  and  which  has  been  tremendously  verified  and  reported 
in  thunder  throughout  all  her  domains,  will  hardly  be  disfiuted. 
The  slaughtering,  or  rather  butchering  of  20,000  German  peas- 
ants, whose  principal  ciime  was  in  claiming  to  choose,  make 
and  ordain  their  own  pastors,  of  itself  awfully  reports  the  tena- 
city with  which  the  papal  clergy  adhered  to  the  claim  in  ques- 
.ti  )n.  (See  n.  39,  40.)  Again,  that  this  is  a  right  claimed  I  y 
the  clergy  of  the  Mclhodisiic  church,  and  thence  reported  far 


112 


Trial  of  Candidates  for  the  Ministry.     [Chap.  IVw 


and  wide,  as  with  hings  stentoiophonic,  niqy  be  known  by  any 
man  wlio  will  incline  his  ear  to  hear  their  report,  as  laid  in 
their  Form  of  Bisciplitie,  pp.  36  to  48.  And  again,  that  the 
same  right  is  claimed  by  the  Calvinislic  clergy,  and  thence  re- 
ported in  the  ears  of  men,  with  equally  as  hide  shame  as  it  is 
by  the  Meihodisiic  clergy,  may  be  seen  and  acknowlediied  by 
him  wlio  will  aiiend  to  iheir  report,  as  given  in  their  Confession 
of  Faith,  pp.  583  to  588.  The  genernl  of  the  report  of  the 
Calvinistic  clergy,  in  relation  to  the  claim  in  qnesiion,  seems 
to  be  this,  that  when  the  evidence  of  miracles  is  put  out  of  the 
question,  there  is  left  no  other  evidence  whatever  of  a  man'S' 
being  commissioned  and  sent  to  preach,  than  the  appointment 
and  ordination  of  piesbytery,  after  trial;  or,  what  is  the  same 
thing,  than  the  appointment  and  ordinaiion  of  the  Calvinistic 
clergj",  afier  they  have  tried  the  candidate  by  the  clerical  stand- 
ard of  orthodoxy  !  and  have  thence  found  liim  not  wanting! 
Nay,  farther,  that  without  this  trial,  and  the  appointment  and 
ordination  thence  flowing,  'The  link  connecting  Divine  influ- 
ence [the  Holy  Spirit^  with  human  instrumentality,  is  utterly 
wanting — without  which  no  man  can  preach;  inasmuch  as  no 
man  can  preach,  except  he  be  sent'.'  (See  Religious  Monitor, 
pp.  585,  586.)  AV hence  it  is  seen,  that  the  clergy  of  the  con- 
summated chnrcii,  in  its  diflerent  departments,  have  not  only 
claimed  the  right  of  admitting  candidates  to  the  ministerial  of- 
fice, according  to  the  judgment  or  council  of  Iheir  own  will, 
bvil  have  also  reported  their  claims  in  relation  thereto,  far  and 
wide,  with  face  of  flint  and  brom  of  brass!  But  would  the 
inhabitants  of  the  icorld  have  believed  that  the  adversary 
wonld  have  entered  the  gates  of  the  ^'ew  Jerusalem  !  For  it 
must  not  be  concealed  that  there  are  men,  claiming  to  be  of  (he 
New  Jerusalem,  who  call  themselves  the  clergy,  and  thence 
claim  and  report  the  very  same  things  above  noticed  as  ch  imed 
and  reported  by  the  clergy  of  the  consummated  church.  (See 
Precursor,  vol.  3,  p.  176,  and  many  other  places.)  But,  this 
lias  overtaken  us  for  the  iniquity  of  the  priests  [clersy]  n'ho 
have  polluted  themselves  rvilh  the  lust  of  dominion,  so  that  no 
man  may  touch  their  garments.  (Compare  Lamentations, 
iv.  13.  14.) 

101.  Let  it  be  observed,  that  as  a  tree  is  known  by  its  leaves 
and  fruits,  so  also  may  a  principle  be  known  by  the  dogmas  or 
doctrinals  of  faith,  as  well  as  the  works  growing  out  of  it. 
Whence  it  may  be  seen  by  all  who  look  upwards,  that  the  prin- 
ciple from  which  the  dojjma  in  question,  namely,  that  it  belongs 
exclusively  to  the  clergy  to  admit  men  to  the  ministerial  office, 
originates  and  flows,  is  in  itself  no  other  than  that  The  clergyi 


T>.  Art.  3.]        T/ie  Principle  of  Antichrist. 


113 


arc  invested  ivilh  poiver  from  on  high,  to  take  upon  their  own 
shoulders  the  government  of  the  church  or  kingdo/n  of  the 
Lord  upon  the  car/h,  ami  thence  to  reign  and  rule  over  it  ac- 
cording to  the  judgwent  of  the  council  of  their  own  will. 
Tliis  principle,  as  being  more  immediniely  adapted  lo  ihe 
establishment  of  the  dogma  under  consideration,  assumes  the 
following  form,  namely:  that  the  clergy  are  invested  wiiii  power 
from  on  liigh  to  create  and  perpetuate  tiieir  own  body — their 
own  sacred,  holij  and  spiritual' order — through  which  to  trans- 
mit their  authority  and  jiower;  or,  what  is  virtually  the  same, 
their  sceptre  of  orthodoxy,  and  their  crown  of  ordination,  lo 
successors,  in  succession  forever! 

102.  Where  is  the  intelligent  man  that  is  nevertheless  un- 
able to  see,  that  the  clergy  must  of  necessity  have  adopted  the 
printMple  in  question,  namely:  that  the  government  of  the  king- 
dom or  church  of  the  Lord  is  laid  upon  their  shoulders,  to  the 
end  that  they  may  rule  over  it  a. •cording  to  the  fallible  judg- 
ment of  the  council  of  their  own  will;  and  thence,  also,  that  the 
niore  proximate  form  of  it,  namely,  that  to  the  clergy  it  is  given 
to  perpetuate  their  own  order,  holy  or  unholy,  in  succession 
forever,  and  this  as  an  article  of  their  faith,  before  they  could 
possibly  have  assumed  brass  enough  to  adopt  the  dogma,  evi- 
dently growing  out  of  it,  namely,  thai  to  the  clergy  it  exclu- 
sively belongs  to  admit  men  to  the  clerical  or  ministerial  ojffice; 
or,  before  it  could  possibly  Imve  been  given  to  exhibit  the  prin- 
ciple in  question,  through  tlie  external  form  of  such  dogma,  as 
essential  truth,  or  as  a  thing  regarded  as  essential?  But 
every  intelligent  man  knows,  that  the  principle  from  wliic!)  the 
claiin  or  dogma  in  question  is  seen  to  grow,  is  the  verv  princi- 
ple itself  from  which  Antichrist  swayed  the  sceptre  of  despot- 
ism over  the  church  for  more  than  one  thousand  years.  Nay, 
that  it  must  of  necessity  be  grounded  in  the  lust  of  dominion 
from  the  love  of  self,  thus  originally  from  hell.  Aiul,  conse- 
quently, he  must  needs  know,  also,  thai  the  priestly  succession, 
whether  in  the  Old  or  New  Church,  and  every  ecclesiastical 
dogma,  however  regarded  as  essential,  however  externally  ex- 
hibited as  essential  truth  itself,  fa  voring  that  succcssi()n,  is, 
nevertheless,  from  the  verv  same  source;  yea,  an  invention  of 
the  devil  !    (Compare  A.  R.,  802.) 

103.  From  A.  C,  362,  we  learn,  that  when  a  man  intensely 
fixes  his  tiioughts  on  an  article  of  faith,  he  makes  that  the  prin- 
cipal, that  is,  he  regards  it  as  essential,  and  thus  regarding  it, 
he  consents  to  every  thing  that  confirms  it,  until  at  length  he 
would  almost  swear  that  it  is  so,  when  yet  it  may  be  utterly 
false;  and  thai  this,  and  this  alone,  is  the  source  from  which  all 

10* 


114 


Trial  of  Candidates  for  the  Ministry.    [Chap.  IV. 


heresies  flow  that  exist  in  tlie  church.  But  it  should  be  re- 
membered, that,  in  the  same  place,  we  are  also  taught,  that 
they  are  to  be  called  Cain,  who  go  about  to  make  auy  article 
of  faith  essential,  instead  of  love  to  the  Lord  and  charity  tosvards 
the  neighbor. 

Whence,  in  precise  accordance  with  the  things  just  stated,  in 
relation  to  tliose  represenied  by  Cain,  the  modern  clergy  ap- 
pear to  have  fixed  their  ihouglit  iniently  on  the  principle  afore- 
said, (see  the  two  nnmbtjrs  just  preceding,)  and,  finding  it  to 
favor  their  lust  of  dominion  over  the  tilings  of  heaven,  have 
regarded  it  as  the  principle  of  all  others  ihe  most  essential;  and, 
thence  consenting  to  every  thing  ihat  confirms  it,  they  are  now 
ready  to  swear  that  it  is  so!  Whence,  it  has  also  resulted,  that 
they  have  exhibited  rt  in  an  external  form  (that  is,  in  the  form 
of  the  dogma  spoken  of  in  the  number  preceding)  as  essential 
truth  itself,  ahhough,  as  we  have  seen  in  the  preceding  number, 
it  is  as  false  as  the  heresy  of  Simon  Magus  itself ;  concerning' 
•which,  see  n.  81.  Nay,  although  they  might  themselves  see, 
that  all  they  who  go  about  to  make  other  dogmas,  doclrinals, 
or  articles  of  faith  essential  than  love  to  ihe  Lord  and  charily 
towards  the  neighbor,  are  no  other  than  the  genuine  successors 
of  Cain! 

104.  From  A.  C,  2385,  we  learn,  that  every  principle,  of 
whatever  quality,  even  if  it  be  essentially  false,  when  once  re- 
ceived, may  be  confirmed  by  things  innumerable,  and  thence 
jnay  be  exhibited  in  an  external  form  as  essential  truth;  and, 
that  it  is  from  this  source  that  heresies  flow  which  can  never 
be  receded  from.  But,  that  the  case  is  altogether  dift'erent, 
when  essential  tnilh  itself  (that  is.  love  to  the  Lord  and  charity 
towards  the  neighbor)  is  taken  for  the  principle,  and  this  be 
confirmed;  for  then  the  church  would  be  one,  and  not  divided 
inio  many.  Charity  beinsr  the  essential,  it  would  be  deemed 
unimportant  if  men  did  dilVer  on  doclrinals  of  faith  and  the  ex- 
ternal riiuals  of  worship. 

Whence  it  becomes  manifest,  that  from  a  principle  confirmed, 
and  thence  exhibited  in  an  exiernal  form  as  essential,  heresies 
flow  as  from  their  proper  source; 

But  the  principle  from  which  the  dogma  or  claim  under  con- 
sideration flows,  whether  true  or  false,  is  exhibited  in  the  ex- 
ternal form,  by  the  claim  ilself,  as  essential ;  (compare  Precur- 
sor, vol.  3,  p.  176;) 

Thercfure,  heresies,  sects,  schism  and  disorder  in  the  church, 
are  all  involved  in  it ! 

105.  Is  it  not  then  in  vain  that  we  profess  to  he  receivers  of 
the  heavenly  doctrines  of  the  New  Jerusalem,  if  we  must  still 


D.  Art.  3.3         Principles  made  Essential. 


115 


go  about  to  exliibit  principles,  which  we  may  have  received, 
and  in  which  we  may  liave  confirmed  ourselves,  iu  external 
forms,  whether  dogmas,  (hiclrinals,  or  articles  of  failli,  as  essen- 
tial truth?    Were  not  this  to  exliiliit  our  dogmas  or  docirinals 
of  faith  as  essential,  instead  of  charity  itself,  whidi  latter  whea 
made  and  exhibited  as  the  essential,  so  eclipses  the  doctrinals 
of  faith,  as  to  render  the  differences  between  them  unimportant 
and  non  essential  ?    Such  being  the  case,  how  much  more  vaia 
is  it,  that  we  profess  to  be  receivers  of  the  heavenly  doctrines, 
if  we  must  still  go  about  to  make  and  exhibit  moruli/y,  mode  or 
manner,  and  the  acceptance  of  the  external  rites  of  baptism 
and  the  holi/  supper  at  the  hands  of  the  clergy,  as  essential? 
(Compate  Precursor,  vol.  3,  p.  17G.)    The  external  Jews,  who 
insinuated  themselves  amongst  liie  Christians,  who  were  in  the 
perfect  law  of  liberty,  taught  that  it  was  needful  to  be  circum- 
cised and  keep  the  law  of  Moses  ;  but,  remember,  they  did  not 
say  essential,  but  only  needful.    Nevertheless,  they  were  ap- 
propriately rebuked,  by  being  asked  why  it  was,  that  they 
tempted  God,  by  putting  a  yoke  on  the  neck  of  the  disciples  ! 

106.    By  looking  intensely  at  the  rituals,  forms  and  ceremo- 
nies of  the  church,  and  which  the  hypocrite  most  of  all  delights 
to  look  at,  their  observance  is,  in  the  first  place,  regarded  as 
an  essential  thing;  and  when  this  principle  is  confirmed  by  the 
clergy,  they  never  fail  to  exhibit  it,  in  an  external  forni,  as 
essential  iMith  itself.    Nevertheless,  this  were  the  same  as  to 
exhibit  the  letter  of  the  Word,  as  the  essential  of  it,  that  is,  as 
the  spirit  of  it,  thus  as  the  all  of  it.    Whence  it  may  be  seen, 
that  no  article  of  faith,  however  confirined,  prescribed  ami  ex- 
hibited in  an  external  form,  as  essential  truth,  whether  by  the 
clergy  or  their  creatures,  can  ever  be  deemed  or  regarded  as 
essential,  by  any  man  of  the  New  Churc'i,  who  is  perfectly 
able  to  appreciate  that  liberty  wherewith  Christ  has  made  him 
free.    Can  the  stream  lise  higher  than  the  fountain  ?  How 
then  shall  any  dogma,  doctrinal,  or  article  of  faith,  however 
forged,  hammered,  fashioned,  or  polished — however  confirmed 
01  exhibited  by  the  ingenuity  of  ecclesiastics — become  superior 
to,  or  more  essential  than  the  letter  of  the  Word,  from  which  it 
must  at  least  apparently  flow,  to  the  end  that  it  may  be  of  any  force 
or  weight  in  tiie  church  whatever  ?   That  the  dogmas,  doctrinals, 
or  aiticles  of  faith,  regarded  as  essential  by  the  clergy  and  their 
creatures,  and  thence  found  in  their  creeds,  constitutions,  forms 
of  discipline,  etc.,  in  the  shape  of  ecclesiastical  laws,  (all  of 
which  are  no  other  than  the  traditions  and  commandments  of 
men,)  are  essential  in  one  sense,  is  not  to  be  denied,  namely: 
they  are  essential  to  confine  the  laity,  like  mules  obedient, 


116        Trial  of  Candidates  for  the  Ministry.    [Chap.  IV. 


within  the  glittering  hnrness  of  the  Iiierarchal  car,  whence  the 
cleruy,  Iriuinjihant,  aloft,  and  in  state,  may  look  down  \\\wn  the 
world  below,  an<l  exnliingly  exclaim,  we  are  the  spiritual! 
we  guide  the  reins  !  we  rule  the  temporal,  the  laiiy,  bij  all  sorts 
of  means — by  tlie  whips  and  scorpions  of  ecclesiastical  law, 
when  necessary! 

107.  The  essentials  of  all  doctrine  and  worship  are  no  other 
than  love  to  the  Lord  and  cliarity  towards  the  neighbor.  The 
reason  is  manifest,  seeing  it  is  Irom  these  that  all  the  law  became 
ullimaied  i.i  the  letter;  and  concerning  these,  thai  all  the  pro- 
phets spoke,  taught  and  reported;  nay,  concerning  which, 
Isaiah  repoits,  'Who  hath  believed  our  report,  and  to  whom  is 
the  arm  of  the  Lord  revealed?'  (liii.  1.)  When  love  to  the 
Loril  and  charity  towards  the  neighbor  come  to  be  acknow- 
ledged, and  thence  made  the  essential  principles,  the  minds  of 
men  will  become  enlightened  by  innumerable  things  contained 
in  the  Word,  which  from  the  obscurity  of  false  principles  they 
stumble  over  as  with  their  eyes  shut.  But,  contrariwise,  in 
proportion  as  men  exhibit  their  dogmas,  doclrinals  of  (niih,  or 
principles,  in  an  external  form  as  essential  truth,  they  consecrate 
or  fill  the  hand  of  Cain  with  a  club,  wherewith  to  kill  his  in- 
nocent brother! 

108.  It  is  well  known,  that  the  clergy  of  the  papal  church 
exhibited  the  rituals  and  ceremonies  theieof  as  essential  things. 
The  reason  is  manifest,  seeing  that  glory  and  honor  was  thence 
reflected  back  upon  the  clergy,  who  had  cotisiiiuted  themselves 
essentially  necessary  to  their  exhibition.  But  from  this,  as  in 
a  faithful  mirror,  may  be  ^een  why  it  is,  that  the  modem  c'ergy, 
claiming  to  be  of  the  New  Church,  regard  it  as  essential,  that 
a  man  should  be  baptized  by  one  of  their  own  body,  before  pre- 
senting himself  as  a  candidate  for  li'dy  orders;  and,  in  a  word, 
why  it  is,  th  it  they  regard  it  as  essential,  that  they,  and  they 
alone,  may  admit  men  to  the  ministerial  olfice.  (Compare  Pre- 
cursor, vol.  3,  p.  176.) 

But,  when  such  things  are  regarded  as  essential,  is  it  not 
rnanifest  in  tlie  sight  of  heaven,  that  we  are  but  yet  Inboring  to 
find  essential  truth,  and  whi'-h  alone  is  thai  truth  which  leads 
to  good  ; — nay,  that  we  are  thence  represented  by  the  men  of 
Sotiom,  who,  being  smitten  with  blindness,  labored  to  find  the 
door  until  they  were  wearied,  but  siill  couhl  not  find  it;  and 
that  we  are  they,  who,  in  the  last  times,  devise  dogmas,  and 
exhibit  them  as  essential,  by  ilint  of  ratiocination;  and  thence 
go  about  to  get  lliem  est;d)lished,  by  means  of  ecclesiastical 
laws,  to  the  end  that  ihe  laity  might  be  brouLiht  under  bondage? 

109.  PjuI,  in  addressing  the  Jews,  observes,  'Bixthrcn,  I 


D.  Art.  3.]  Melchisedek's  Priesthood. 


117 


would  not  have  you  ignorant,  that  blindness  in  part  hath  hap- 
ppiietl  to  Israel.'  And.  that  the  same  lliing  hiis  happened  to 
some  who  claim  to  be  of  the  clergy  of  ihe  New  Church,  appears 
from  tliis,  thai  if,  as  ihey  allege,  it  be  now  essential  tliat  a  man 
receive  the  outward  rite  of  baptism  and  llie  holy  supper  at  the 
liands  of  a  New  Church  minister,  before  he  can  be  cnnsliluled 
a  New  Church  minister,  then  must  it  necessaiily  have  been 
alvvays  essential;  inasntuch  as  the  essence  ol'  the  things  of  the 
church  varies  not,  however  it  may  in  form.  Whence  it  becomes 
evident,  that  such  men  virtually  deny  tlie  Lord's  second  advent, 
throuuli  the  instrumentality  of  Swedenboro,  who  neither  re- 
ceived baptism  nor  the  holy  supper  at  the  hands  of  a  New 
Chiircli  minister  during  his  life,  spent  in  dispensing  and  minis- 
ter.ng  the  heaveidy  doctrines  ol'  the  New  Jerusalem.  Nay, 
that  they  also  deny,  that  either  Hindmarsh  or  Hargrove  were 
ministers  in  the  New  Church  of  the  Lord;  thus  also,  thai  they 
deny  the  ancestry  from  which  they  would  have  us  believe  that 
they  themselves  have  sprung;  but  which,  we  are  taught,  is  as 
if  a  horse  woidd  mm  back  his  hea  I  and  bile  his  rider;  or 
plunged,  and  left  him  in  mire  inextricable! 

110.  In  U.  T.,  850,  we  are  taught,  that  Swedenborg  was 
asked,  why  the  Lord  did  not  dispense  the  light  of  the  New 
Dispensation  through  the  instrumentality  of  the  clergy,  rather 
than  through  one  that  was  a  mere  layman,  withrut  either  cowl 
or  crook,  cap  or  gown,  ring  or  staff.  But,  that  he  asked  the 
inquirer,  why  it  was,  that  the  Lord,  while  in  the  world,  chose 
fishermen  [mere  laymen^  for  disciples,  rather  than  priests  or 
rabbles.  W hence  it  is  now  asked,  to  what  end  are  we  thus 
taught,  if  we  have  yet  to  learn  that  the  outward  succession  in 
the  priesthood,  as  txhibiied  in  Aaron  and  his  successors,  van- 
ished out  of  sight,  at  the  first  appearance  of  the  Lord,  the  great 
High  Priest,  comparatively  as  the  moon  hides  her  face  when 
the  sun  arises  in  his  strength  ?  Or,  that  the  clerical  succession 
of  the  old  church,  as  exhibited  in  mitred  prelates,  and  priests, 
and  theii  successors,  was  accom plisiied  and  ended  by  the  sec- 
ond appearance  of  the  Lord;  and,  in  his  thence  choosing  a  lay- 
man, as  the  dispensator  and  chief  minister  of  the  heavenly  doc- 
trines of  the  New  Jerusalem  1  Nay,  rather,  to  what  end  do  we 
knovv,  thai  Swedenborg  was  not  only  never  constituted,  in- 
augurated, or  ordained  a  priest,  by  other  piiests,  but  also,  that 
he  never  went  about  to  lay  his  hands  upon  others,  so  as  ihence 
to  constitute  ihem  ordaining  ministers  after  him  in  succession, 
if  we  have  yet  t<)  learn  that  the  ministry  of  the  New  Church  is 
to  be  after  the  order  of  Melchisedek,  and  not  by  descent  from 
one  priest  to  another? 


118        Trial  of  Candidates  for  the  Ministry.     [Chap.  IV. 


111.  In  A.  R.,  20,  we  are  tanglit,  iliat  llie  LorJ  himself  will 
make  ihcise  men  pi iesis,  who  are  in  love  from  liim;  yei  ihai  ihey 
are  nol  lo  be  made  re:'lly  such,  LmU  that  tlie  Lord  is  really  siicli 
in  tliem;  and,  in  A.  (".,  S770,  we  are  fariher  tauifht,  iliat  ihe 
kingdom  of  the  Lord  is  a  Iviiigdom  of  piiesls  wiili  them  who 
are  in  the  good  of  iruiii: — but  to  what  end  are  ecclesiastics  thus 
taught,  if  they  neverilieless  go  about  to  leach,  that  it  behmgs  to 
priests  lo  determine  who  shall  ba  tlieir  suftcessors,  and  then  to 
constitute  them  as  such  by  outward  rites  and  ceremonies? 
(Compare  Precursor,  vol.  2,  p.  305,  second  column,  at  the  lop, 
and  vol.3,  p.  176.)  If  the  minisiers  of  the  Lord  are  such  from 
tlie  good  of  irnili  and  from  love  to  the  Lord,  then,  is  it  not 
manifest,  lhal  ihey  are  priests  of  the  Lord  afier  the  order  of 
Melchisedek,  and  nol  by  inheritance  or  descent  from  other 
priests,  no  more  than  from  their  own  native  sod?  (U.  T.,  621.) 
If  it  be  granted  by  the  clergy,  liiat  all  are  ministers  and  priests 
of  the  Lord  who  have  received  the  influx  of  his  Holy  Spirit, 
so  as  to  be  in  the  good  of  irutli  and  love  lo  the  I^iord,  bui,  at 
the  same  time  be  denied,  that  any  aie  priests  of  the  Lord  but 
those  whom  they  have  constituted  to  be  sucii  by  the  outward 
ceremonies  of  baptism,  the  holy  supper,  ordination,  etc.,  liien 
do  they  not  either  claim  infidlibiliiy  on  the  one  hand,  or  on  the 
other,  that  on  whomsoever  they  shall  lay  \.\\c\v  hands  he  shall 
receive  the  Hoh)  Gliost?    Concerning  which,  see  n.  7S  :o  91. 

112.  'i'he  voice  of  the  clerjiy  of  the  consummated  church 
speaks  on  this  wise:  'Priests  cannot  be  consiiiuted  so  as  to  be 
of  the  holy  order  of  the  priesthood,  without  holij  orders  from 
the  holy  order  of  ihe  priesihooc!;'  that  is,  without  ihe  creative 
power  of  olhcr  priests,  as  predecessnrs,  to  whoin  such  as  are 
newly  created  may  serve  as  sncceseors,  to  carry  out  the  princi- 
ples, the  orthodoxy,  and  ihe  measurA  of  llieir  predecessors. 
This  papal  invention,  primarily  of  the  devil,  is,  nevertheless, 
proximately  the  result  of  ecclesiastical  laws,  authoritatively  es- 
tablished to  that  end,  by  the  clergy;  and,  at  the  same  time,  the 
result  of  their  using  their  power  and  influence  over  ihe  laiiy,  so 
as  to  cause  them  to  relinquish  all  riirlit,  title  and  claim  lo  holy 
thiiiirs  by  ihnir  own  formal  act.  (Compare  Preciirsor,  vol.  2, 
p.  322,  art.  5.)  Whence  it  follows,  th  it  whether  the  clqrgy, 
claiming  to  be  of  tiie  New  Church,  devise  means  direct  or  indi- 
rect— direct,  by  means  of  ecclesiastical  laws  enacted  by  them- 
selves and  their  crealiires,  or  indirect,  by  cajoling  the  laiiy,  so 
as  to  cause  ihem,  as  in  the  days  of  Constanlinc,  lo  relinquish 
all  right,  litle  and  claim  to  holy  things,  by  a  formal  act — lo 
bring  ;iboui  a  succession  in  the  ministry  of  the  New  Church, 
it  will,  in  either  case,  be  perfectly  jusl  to  charge  them  as  being 


D.  Art.  3.3        Five  Horns  of  the  TJragon. 


119 


a  self  constituting  and  seJf-perpeluating  body.  (Compare 
Precursor,  vol.  3.  p.  138.) 

1 13.  In  A.  R.,  802,  we  ;ire  laiiglit,  tliat,  wiihont  profanntion, 
a  man  cannot  claim  to  hinisell  any  thing  divine;  and,  that 
even  Peier  liimst^II'  neither  claimed  nor  exercised  it;  thai  is, 
Peter  did  not  claim  to  himself  divine  power  from  the  Lord,  nor 
did  he  exercise  it,  much  less  use  it  ns  if  it  was  liis  own;  but 
Peter  was  a  distrij  le  and  minister  of  the  Lord; — whose  disciples, 
therefore,  think  ye,  must  they  be,  who  not  only  claim  to  them- 
selves power  immediately  from  the  Lord,  but  also  do  use  it  as 
if  it  ivere  their  oivn?  (Compare  Precursor,  vol  3,  p.  138.) 
In  the  same  place,  we  are  farther  taught,  as  before  suggested, 
that  the  priestly  sncces>ion  is  an  invention  of  that  love  which 
is  the  devil;  also,  that  that  love  (and  which  is  no  other  than  the 
love  of  self,)  causes  them  who  are  therein,  and  thence  in  the 
lust  of  dominion  over  the  things  of  heaven,  to  burn  with  rage, 
lo  gnash  the  teeth,  and  to  exclaim  against  him  who  would  ex- 
pose the  abominations  of  the  princii)les  and  things  thence  flow- 
ing, as  (afier  the  example  of  Swedenborg  himself)  has  been 
humbly  attempted  in  the  preceiling  numbers,  and  which,  by 
the  Divine  mercy,  will  be  farther  attempted  in  those  which  may 
follow.  But,  to  what  end  has  the  clergy,  claiming  to  be  of  the 
New  Church,  read  the  things  above  adduced,  if  they  neverthe- 
less are  determined  to  establish  a  clerical  succession  in  the  New 
Church  ?  or,  what  is  the  same  thing,  if  they  are  nevertheless 
recoiled  to  set  themselves  up  as  a  self-created,  creating  and 
perpetuating  body,  by  means  of  a  formal  act,  decreeing  that 
all  applicaiions  for  admission  into  the  clerical  office  shall  be 
made  to  the  clergy  themselves,  who  may  approve  or  veto  all 
applicants,  according  to  the  standard  of  the  council  of  their  oivn 
will,  whereby,  for  their  own  glory,  they  may  foreordain  7vbat- 
soever  cones  to  pass  in  relation  to  their  anticipated  everlasting 
siiccessio)!  J 

Bui,  here,  an  important  question  atises,  namely:  what  is  the 
sitU'ition  of  that  man  who  receives  the  faith  of  tiie  New  Church, 
and  yet  reiains  the  Hiiih  of  the  Catholic  church,  in  relation  to 
the  cleric:d  succession?  Is  it  not  as  if' one  should  rescue  him- 
self from  five  horns  of  the  dragon,  and  entangle  himself  in  the 
remaining  five?  or,  as  if  one,  in  escaping  from  a  lion,  should 
fall  upon  a  tiger?  or,  as  if  one  shoidd  exlrii-aie  himself  from  a 
j)it,  wheiein  was  no  water,  and  should  sltaigliiwav  fjill  into  a 
pit  filled  with  waier,  and  be  drowned?    (Compare  U.  T..  649.) 

I  14.  When  the  clerL'y,  claiming  to  be  of  the  New  Church, 
claim  the  ritfbt  to  admit  none  to  the  clerical  office  but  such  as 
have  received  the  holy  supper  and  the  rite  of  baptism  at  their 


120        Trial  of  Candidates  for  the  Ministry.     [Chap.  IV. 


own  hands,  and  such  whose  morality  and  mode  or  manner  of 
preacliing  may  come  up  to  ihe  clerical  siandard,  and,  after  all 
this,  such  only  as  may  in  all  things  else  approximate  near 
enough  to  ih.U  standard,  what  less  do  they  chiim  than  thai  all 
this  should  become  an  ecc-lesiaslical  law,  a  forrncd'uct,  to  the 
end  that  they  may  legally  doniinale  over  the  ciiurcli,  by 
forcing  her  to  nominate  or  present  such  candidates  as  shail  be 
Strictly  orthodox?  that  is,  such,  whose  views  and  opinions 
make  one  with  the  clergy;  otherwise,  to  remain  desiiiuie  of  a 
christian  ministry!  Wiience  it  again  becomes  manifest,  that 
the  claim  in  question  is  grounded  in  the  Inst  of  domination 
from  the  love  of  self;  thus,  in  the  essential  false;  or,  in  the 
essence  of  all  that  is  false.  And  not  only  so,  bin  it  is  farther 
seen,  that,  notwithstanding  all  the  (lra[)ery  of  those  beautiful 
external  things  called  morality,  useful  mode  or  manner,  riles 
and  ceremonies  performed  by  a  New  Church  clergyman — all 
said  tw  be  ESSKNTiAL,  and  in  which  the  h\()ocriie  is  usuiilly 
at  par  with  the  true  christian — the  principle  in  question,  that 
is,  the  essential  false,  is  comjiletely  detected.  The  web  of  the 
spider,  in  this  case  at  least,  hinders  not  from  plainly  seeing  the 
spider  itself  looking  out ! 

115.  The  laity,  if  not  instigated  by  the  clerg)',  wouhl  always 
have  suffered  men  to  worship  God  according  to  liie  best  under- 
standing they  might  have  had  of  his  will,  as  revealed  in  his 
Word  ;  but  the  clergy,  from  the  lust  of  li.iminioii  over  the  things 
of  heaven,  were  always  of  another  minil;  for,  it  seems,  that 
they  determined,  from  the  beginning,  that  God  should  be  wor- 
6hi|>ped  in  the  very  mode  prescribed  by  themselves,  or  that  he 
should  not  be  woishipped  at  all,  if  they  could  help  it.  Hiit, 
what  is  the  lust  of  dimiinion  over  the  things  of  liHuvcn  ?  Is  it 
not  the  lust  of  dominion  over  the  faiih  of  others,  in  relation  to 
the  things  of  the  church,  wiiirh  is  no  other  ihaii  the  kinadoin 
of  heavfii  upon  the  earth  ?  Am",  how  is  the  liis-i  of  ilnniiiiioii 
over  tlie  faith  of  others  inani('esi;-d  ?  Is  il  not  maiiifesied  by  a 
man's  first  claiming  to  be  of  the  church,  and  thence  (raining 
dogmas,  doctrinals,  or  articles  of  faith,  by  which  to  exclude 
Others  frmn  i)iivileges  in  the  church,  for  no  other  leasoii  than 
for  the  exercise  of  that  fieedom  in  the  things  of  faith,  vvliich  he 
himself  claims  ? 

116.  From  Blackslr.ne,  vol.  1,  p.  390.  we  learn,  that  a  papal 
law  was  passed  in  the  time  of  Kdward  II.,  that  the  examinaiiun 
of  the  fitness  of  a  person  to  be  presented  tii  a  benefice,  was  to 
belong  to  the  ecclesiasiical  j'.niije.  Whence,  if  tbe  cb-iuy, 
claiming  to  be  of  the  New  Church,  do  not  aim  at  dominion  over 
the  souls  of  men,  why  do  they  go  about  to  revive  the  |  ap.d  or 


D.  Art.  3.]       Determining  Clerical  Duties. 


131 


Diotrephesian  law  of  Edward  11.  ?  Why  do  they,  like  Diotre- 
phes,  claim  the  pre-eminence?  but,  especially,  the  pie-eminent 
right  of  rejecting  and  castingout,  as  teaching  ministers,  those 
very  persons  the  church  may  iiave  appointed  for  that  purpose? 
Whence  it  is  justly  concluded,  that  there  is  no  way  left  for  the 
clergy  now  to  acquit  themselves  of  the  charge  of  the  lust  of 
dominion  over  the  things  of  heaven,  than  to  freely  award  to  the 
men  of  the  church  the  right  to  choose  and  ordain  their  own 
teaching  ministers;  (n.  48,  articles  1,  2,  3;)  nor  is  there  any 
other  way  left  by  which  to  acquit  themselves  of  tlie  charge  of 
aiming  to  establish  a  priestly  succession,  than  to  abandon  at 
once  all  their  unholj'  claims  in  relation  to  the  admission  of  men 
to  the  ministerial  office. 


CHAPTER  V. 

(Note  D. — Article  III.)  ^ 

Concerning  the  liight  of  determining  every  duty  pertaining 
to  ihe  Clerical  Office,  claimed  by  the  clergy. 

117.  It  Has  been  suggested  on  a  previous  occasion,  that 
the  source  of  corruption  in  the  papal  church  involved  in  it,  that 
the  people  [iaily^  transferred  to  the  clergy  all  that  submission 
and  reverence  tliey  had  been  accustomed  to  yield  to  the  pagan 
priests  wiiom  they  had  deserted;  conceiving  their  persons 
equally  sacred  and  holy  with  their  functions.  Also,  that  the 
clergy,  not  being  blind  to  the  advantages  arising  from  the  dig- 
nities and  honors  which  the  weakness  of  the  laity  had  awarded 
to  them,  established  courts,  in  which  every  question  relating 
to  their  own  character  and  function  was  tried.  (See  n.  55,  art. 
12th.)  Whence,  the  claim  in  question,  so  far  from  being  a  new 
filing  under  the  sun,  is  found  to  make  part  and  parcel  of  the 
root  and  source  of  the  fountain  of  papal  corruptions  and  abom- 
inations. Not  only  so,  but  what  renders  the  awarding  of  such 
claim  still  more  abhorrent  is,  that  it  not  only  betrays  despotism 
of  the  darkest  character  on  the  part  of  the  clergy,  but  also  con- 
temptuous, supple-knee'd  sycophancy  on  the  part  of  the  laity. 
The  quality  of  the  principle  upon  which  such  claims  are  found- 
ed, as  referred  to  civil  affairs,  may  be  seen  from  the  following 
circumstance,  recorded  in  Hume's  History  of  England,  and 
which  is  this:  A  certain  member  of  the  English  parliament 
being  imprisoned  for  some  notorious  crime,  pleaded  parliamen- 
tary privilege.    His  fellow  members  claimed  his  release  on 

11 


Determining  Clerical  Duties. 


[Chap.  V. 


the  same  grounds;  nay,  even  from  a  show  of  justice,  referred 
the  queslion,  in  relation  to  the  enlargement  of  iheir  member, 
to  the  judges  of  the  law.  These  judges  alleged,  that  'the  par- 
liamentary court  was  of  so  high  and  mighty  nature,  that  it 
could  even  make  law,  and  therefore,  that  none  but  the  parlia- 
ment itself  could  say  what  the  privileges  of  its  members  were  T 

118.  But  the  arrogant  claims  of  the  papal  clergy  along  with 
those  of  the  British  parliament  to  the  contrary  notwithstanding, 
is  it  yet  necessary  to  gravely  inform  a  newchurchman,  that  to 
refer  every  duty  pertaining  to  the  clerical  office  to  the  clergy 
themselves,  is  comparatively  as  if  all  matters  relating  to  the 
duty  of  servants  sliould  be  referred  to  themselves  !  And  in  such 
case,  it  might  be  asked,  how  long  it  would  be  before  servants, 
empowered  to  determine  and  define  not  only  their  duties,  but 
the  relation  between  them  and  their  masters,  would  take  it  into 
their  heads,  and  thence  accordingly  determine  it  to  be  their 
duty,  namely,  instead  of  remaining  servants  to  become  masters, 
rulers  and  governors;  and,  instead  of  remaining  as  servants  in 
the  vineyard,  to  seize  upon  it  as  their  own  properly,  as  did  the 
Jews  the  vineyard  of  the  Lord,  and  thence  hold  it  in  defiance 
of  the  true  owner  ? 

1 19.  If  not  instigated  by  the  lust  of  dominion  or  pre-eminence, 
•why  should  the  clergy  cLiim  that  every  duty  in  relation  to  their 
office  should  be  referred  to  themselves  for  their  own  decision  ? 
Are  there  not  relations  existing  between  the  clergy,  as  such, 
and  the  laity?  and,  especially,  relations  that  may  from  abuse 
have  a  peculiar  bearing  on  the  freedom  of  the  laity  in  spiritual 
things?  Whence  it  is  concluded,  that  by  the  claim  in  question, 
the  clergy  do  no  otlier  than  aim  a  deadly  blow  at  the  spiritual 
freedom  of  the  laity  on  the  one  hand,  and,  on  the  other,  aim 
and  endeavor  to  establish  the  sentiment,  that  the  clergy  are  a 
spiritual  nobility,  an  awful  order,  and  an  exclusive  aristocracy; 
in  comparison  of  wliom  the  poor  laity  are  as  a  mass  of  earth, 
of  ignorance,  if  not  of  profanity  itself,  who  have  no  right*) 
understand  otherwise  than  through  the  understanding  of  the 
clergy  !  And,  as  a  very  natural  consequence  farther  flowing, 
that  there  is  no  way  left  for  the  clergy  to  clear  themselves  of 
the  above  charge,  than  to  abandon  at  once  tliat  unholy  claim, 
viz  :  that  everything  relating  to  the  duty  of  the  clergy  should 
be  referred  to  themselves.  (Compare  Precursor,  vol.  3,  p.  172.) 


D.  Art.  3.]     Divine  Influx  the  Same  in  All. 


123 


CHAPTER  VI. 

(Note  D. — Article  III.) 

Concerning  Particular  Illustration,    as  claimed   by  the 

clergy. 

120.    As  touching  this  subject,  the  great  object  will  be  to 
inquire  whether  there  are  indeed  a  special  caste,  or  clasi  of  men, 
to  whom  is  given  a  greater  measure  of  the  Divine  influx,  thus 
of  illustration,  into  their  rainds,  than  is  given  to  others  into 
theirs.    In  A.  R.,  946,  we  are  taught,  that  'the  Divine  Pro- 
ceeding is  in  men  according  to  reception  ;  that  is,  that  it  is  in 
itself  in  its  own  in  men,  and  not  in  any  thing  supposed  to  be 
divine,  holy,  good,  or  true,  in  men ;  and  that,  if  such  were  not 
the  case,  the  Divine  influx  could  not  be  with  every  one  accord- 
ing to  reception.^    Nay,  farther,  that  '  if  the  Divine  influx  were 
only  to  flow  into  things  good  and  true,  supposed  to  be  inherent 
with  some  men  rather  than  others,  the  former  would  tlience  be 
blessed  with  a  greater  share  of  influx  than  the  latter;  and,  in 
such  case,  the  greater  portion  of  the  world  must  needs  be  re- 
jected as  altogether  unworthy.'    And,  respecting  the  tliought 
here  adduced,  we  are  farther  taught,  that  '  it  is  an  arcanum  in- 
volving the  angelic  idea  of  the  Lord's  omnipresence ;  and, 
withal,  so  diflacult  of  comprehension,  that  the  books  of  DiviNE 
Ppovidknce  and  Divine  Wisdom  had  Jirst  to  be  displayed  to 
the  understanding.'    But  why  so  difficult  of  comprehension? 
Is  it  not  a  fact,  that  things  which  are  opposite  to  that  which  a 
man  seeks,  do  not  lie  open  to  his  discovery?    We  have  some- 
where heard,  that  those  who  are  bound  to  hell  never  see  the 
narrow  path  that  strikes  off"  to  heaven.    Nay,  that  Solijidians, 
in  looking  for  things  whereby  to  confirm  and  establish  faith, 
pass  over  all  the  passages  in  the  AVord  enjoining  good  works, 
as  with  their  eyes  shut! 

121.  The  angelic  idea,  namely,  that  the  Divine  influx  is  in 
all  the  same,  was  not  sought  after,  tlierefore  did  not  lie  open  to 
discovery;  and  therefore,  was  hard  to  find.  And  the  reason 
why  it  was  not  sought  after,  was  because  it  lays  the  axe  at  the 
root  of  all  those  earthly  distinctions,  prerogatives,  privileges, 
immunities,  dignities  and  titles  growing  out  of  the  contrary 
principle,  namely,  that  the  Divine  is  not  in  all  the  same.  This 
principle,  namely,  that  the  Divine  proceeding  is  partial  in  its 
inflowing,  that  is,  flowing  into  some  in  a  greater  measure  than 
into  others,  may  justly  be  said  to  be  the  first-begotten  of  self- 


124 


Particular  Illustration.  [Chap.  VI. 


love,  and  (hence  the  very  ground  of  the  pride  of  distinction,  the 
arrogancy  of  prerogative,  the  presumption  of  privilege,  the 
haughtiness  of  dignity,  and  the  blasphemy  of  title.    The  Jews 
believed,  that  the  Divine  was  partial  in  relation  to  them,  and 
especially  in  relation  to  their  fathers,  in  whose  seed  all  the  fam- 
ilies of  the  earth  were  to  be  blessed.    Whence,  taking  them' 
selves  to  be  the  seed  spoken  of,  they  consequenUy  took  them- 
.selves  to  be  the  elect  of  God,  the  chosen  seed  and  precious ; — 
,     and,  forgetting  that  their  heavenly  Father  causes  his  sun  to 
shine  on  the  evil  and  on  the  good,  and  sends  his  rain  on  the 
just  and  unjust  alike,  they  became  proud,  arrogant,  stiff-necked, 
and  blasphemous.    The  Greeks  believed  that  the  Divine  was 
partial  in  relation  to  their  ancestors ;  nay,  that  to  many  of  them 
was  given  such  a  full  portion  of  the  Divinity,  that  after  this 
life  they  became  gods,  and,  as  such,  objects  of  worship  and 
adoration.    Aristotle  taught,  that  some  were  predestinated  to 
command,  and  others  born  to  obey.    Plato  thought,  that  some 
were  predestinated  from  conception  to  be  philosophers  and 
mathematicians.    Hippocrates  said,  that  '  none  could  ever  be- 
come good  physicians,  but  such  as  had  been  predestinated  to 
that  end  from  conception.^    Cicero  and  Seneca  were  of  opinion, 
that  'religion  is  innate,''  that  is,  those  who  are  religious  have, 
by  a  particular  influx  from  the  Divine,  been  thence  predestinated 
or  determined  from  conception  to  that  end.    But,  besides  the 
Jew  and  the  Greek,  John  Calvin  taught,  that  some  are  elected 
or  predestinated  for  heaven,  even  before  they  are  conceived; 
and  that,  afterwards,  in  due  time,  the  Divine  proceeding  flow3 
in  effectually  to  that  end ;  whilst  to  others  not  so  elected  or 
predestinated,  the  Divine  proceeding,  if  it  flows  in  at  all.  flows 
in  so  ineffectually,  that  they  remain  uninfluenced  by  it,  and 
are  therefore,  at  last,  cast  into  hell  according  to  the  first  inten-" 
tionJ    Others,  varying  the  same  principle  somewhat  in  form, 
teach,  that  the  Divine  influx  of  heaven,  '  which  makes  the  theO' 
logian  and  the  priest,  whether  referred  to  the  love  of  science, 
or  to  the  love  of  teaching,  must  be  innate — must  be  from  con- 
ception,  or  from  childhood  at  least ;  (compare  Newchurchman, 
pp.  142,  143.) — thus,  (like  Aristotle's  commanders,  Plato's 
philosophers,   Hippocrates'  physicians,  Seneca's  s'aints,  anil 
Calvin's  predestinated,)  that  they  are  predestinated  by  the  Di- 
vine influx,  from  com^eption,  to  be  tlieologians  and  priests. 
But,  contrariwise,  it  should  be  known,  that  as  it  was  not  the 
partial  influx  of  heaven,  in  Handel  from  conception,  that  made 
him  a  musician,  but  his  reception  of  that  influx,  according  to 
the  hereditary  disposition  of  his  faculties,  so,  similar  things 
may  be  said  ia  relation  to  those  who  have  manifested  great 


D.  Art.  3.] 


Divines  and  their  Titles. 


125 


talents,  whether  for  philosophy,  mathematics,  physic,  etc.  The 
physician  Hippocrates,  from  the  pride  of  distinction,  supposed 
that  none  could  ever  become  good  physicians  but  such  as  had 
been  favored  with  the  Divine  influence  of  heaven  from  concep- 
tion to  that  particular  end.  But  this  is  not  a  whit  more  absurd 
than  to  suppose,  that  none  can  become  good  priests  but  such 
as  have  been  similarly  favored.  Both  alike  are  in  direct  op- 
position to  the  angelic  idea  of  tlie  Lord's  omnipresence,  namely, 
that  the  Divine  is  in  all  the  same;  and  which,  as  said  before, 
strikes  at  the  root  of  the  pride  of  distinction,  whether  of  doctors 
or  priests,  songsters  or  sages — and  prostrates  all  their  towering 
and  SDPPOSED  heaven-born  honors  from  conception  low  in  the 
dust. 

122.  But,  prompted  by  the  love  of  self  and  the  lust  of  dom- 
ination thence,  the  clergy  hesitated  not  to  adopt  the  false  princi- 
ple, namely,  that  the  Divine  is  7iot  in  all  the  same;  and,  by 
consequence,  the  fond  conceit,  that  the  measure  of  the  Divinity 
meted  out  to  themselves  from  conception,  was,  by  many  de- 
grees, superior  to  tliat  granted  to  the  (supposed)  profane  laity. 
Whence,  also,  they  hesitated  not  to  hatch  out  means  whereby 
to  exalt  their  own  (supposed)  sacred  and  holy  order.  The 
result  was,  tliat,  aided  by  sycophants  and  slaves,  who  ever  de- 
light in  the  flashes  of  arbitrary  power,  rather  than  in  the  steady 
sunlight  of  truth,  the  priestly  hierarchy  noon  became  reared  up 
and  established.    But,  the  edifice  was  not  considered  as  per- 
fected until  it  was  made  to  consist  of  different  degrees  of  earthly 
dignification,  and  titles  of  blasphemy  thence  corresponding;— 
the  result  of  which  was,  and  yet  is,  that  those  in  the  loiver  de- 
grees, like  the  genuine  builders  of  Babel,  never  think  of  ceasing 
to  climb  upwards,  until  tiiey  attain  the  very  pinnacle  of  the 
hierarchal  edifice  itself ;  and,  with  this,  dominioh  over  the 
things  of  heaven ! 

123.  Respecting  the  subject  of  degrees,  as  referred  to  the 
hierarchy,  it  will  be  treated  of  (the  Lord  willing)  in  a  separate 
chapter  by  itself;  but,  as  touching  the  subject  of  titles,  it  is 
given  to  here  state,  that  the  clergy,  from  the  pride  of  distinction, 
conceiving  that  the  Divine  influx  with  them  is  innate,  that  is, 
from  conception,  fondly  concluded  that  their  nature  was  thence 
rendered  soinehow  divine;  that  is,  that  the  Divine  nature  being 
innate  with  them,  it  therefore  belonged  to  them,  equally  with 
their  human  nature,  granted  on  all  sides  to  be  innate,  that  is, 
from  conception.  Whence,  from  pride,  as  above  suggested, 
claiming  that  their  nature  is  divine,  there  being  but  one  step 
to  the  blasphemy  of  title  corresponding,  it  was  not  long  till 
that  step  was  also  taken  ;  and  the  members  of  the  hierarchal 
edifice,  involving  all  the  clergy,  were  now  called  divines  ;  that 

11* 


126 


Particular  Illustration, 


[Chap.  VI. 


is,  DIVINITIES  !    Who  is  he  that  knows  so  little  of  the  annals 
of  the  church,  as  not  to  know,  that  the  title  divine  has  been 
given  to  the  clergy  for  ages  ?    Who  is  he  that  knows  not,  that 
it  was  an  assemblage  of  some  forty  Calvinistic  priests  at  TVest- 
minster,  each  of  whom  had  assumed  the  title  of  divine,  [divini- 
ty,"] and  who  were  thence  called  the  '  Westminster  divines' 
that  hatched  out  and  brought  to  light  that  notable  book  of  her- 
eries,  called  The  Westminster  Confession  of  Faith,  which, 
from  its  opacity,  like  the'  smoke  of  the  bottomless  pit,  with 
which  it  makes  one,  has  obscured  the  sun  and  air  of  the  moral 
world  for  ages  and  ages  ?    But,  besides  the  tide  Divine,  award- 
ed to  ail  the  clergy  in  common,  there  are  others  more  special, 
adapted  to  respective  and  various  degrees  of  dignity,  one  above 
another,  which  the  clergy,  who  ivork  all  things  that  come  to 
pass,  in  the  hierarchy,  according  to  the  council  of  their  oion 
will,  for  their  own  glory,  have  created  and  made  :  such  as, 
*  Reverend,'  '  Most  Reverend  Father  in  God,'  '  Right  Reverend 
Father  in  God,'  'His  Grace,'  'His  Holiness,'  and  'Lord  !'  (kk) 
124.  In  the  Apocalypse  Revealed  we  are  taught,  that  'the 
rational  mind  is  the  very  receptacle  of  the  light  of  heaven ;' 
that  '  the  more  a  man  turns  to  this  light,  the  more  interiorly  his 
rational  becomes  opened,  and  the  more  he  sees  truths  in  their 
connection  and  form  ;'  that 'the  more  he  thus  sees  truths,  the 
more  he  is  illuminated  and  particularly  illustrated  hy  the  influx 
of  the  Divine  proceeding  from  the  Word  ;'  that  '  the  light  which 
illuminates  the  mind  flows  from  no  other  source  than  out  of 
heaven  from  the  Lord  alone;'  and  that  '  they  who  are  of  the 
Lord's  New  Church,  directly  approach  the  Lord  himself,  so 
that  the  light  may  flow  in'.o  them  in  the  way  of  Divine  order, 
that  is,  through  the  love  of  the  will,  into  the  perception  of  the 
understanding.'  (See  n.  914.)    Respecting  which  things,  let  it 
be  noted,  that  when  the  men  of  the  church  confirm  in  themselves, 
that  the  Divine  is  not  in  all  the  same,  the  result  is,  that  they 
immediately  conclude  that  they  are  not  to  freely  lead  themselves 
according  to  their  own  judgment  and  prudence  from  the  Lord ; 
and  that,  instead  of  directly  approaching  the  Lord,  so  that  the 
Divine  truth  might  reach  the  perception  of  their  oivn  under' 
standing,  through  the  love  of  the  will,  thus  in  tlie  way  of  free- 


We  are  informed,  tliat  the  degrees  and  corresponding  titles  thence, 
as  originally  assumed  by  the  Iriiternity  of  Freemasons,  were  expressed  by 
'Apprentice,'  'Journeyman,'  and  'Master  Mason;'  but,  that  wiien  kings 
and  priests  became  of  that  fraternity,  the  head  thereof  rose  to  the  prodi- 
gious height  of  I'orty-throe  doyrees  above  l/ie  plane  nf  Dura,  (that  is,  of  the 
people  and  common  sense,)  and  tliat  one  of  tlipse  degrees  is  styled  'The 
OiiDEii  OF  THE  Holy  Ghost  !'    (See  Payne,  pp.  272  to  291.) 


D.  Art.3.] 


77ie  Clerical  Caste. 


127 


dom  and  delight,  ihey  are  to  keep  the  itnderstamUng  and  all  the 
perceptions  of  truth  thence,  under  obedience  and  strict  subor- 
dination to  the  faith  of  the  clergy,  whom  they  (in  accordance 
with  the  false  principle  in  question)  suppose  to  be  superiorly 
illustrated.  Such  being  the  case,  a  farther  result  is,  that  they 
conclude  that,  instead  of  the  exercise  of  freedom  in  things  of 
faith,  (which  freedom  they  are  taught  by  the  clergy  to  call  li- 
centiousness,) it  is  their  pious  duty,  in  the  depth  of  humility, 
to  projess  their  ignorance,  and  to  submissively  bow  their  necks 
in  implicit  obedience  under  the  yoke  of  ecclesiastical  laws  of 
church  order,  hatched  out  by  the  clergy  and  llieir  sycophantic 
instruments;  and  at  the  same  time  to  consider  and  believe,  as 
taught  and  enforced  by  the  clergy,  that  these  laws  comprise  the 
very  order  itself  according  to  which  God  has  established  the 
church.  (Compare  Precursor,  vol.  2,  p.  341,  second  column, 
near  the  top.)  Not  only  so,  but,  in  sucli  case,  a  farther  result 
is,  that  ihey  immediately  conclude,  tliat  none  but  tiiose  of  the 
clerical  caste  (which  caste  alone  is  supposed  to  be  illustrated) 
should  be  permitted  to  interpret,  teach  or  expound  the  PVord! 
(see  ihe  Constitution  of  the  Associate  Reformed  Church) — and, 
consequently,  that  he  who  does  not  in  faith  embrace  the  doc- 
trines flowing  down  from  the  (supposed)  sacred  caste,  or,  what 
is  the  same  thing,  flowing  down  throuijh  tlie  clerical  channel 
of  constitutions,  creeds,  coifessions,  forms  of  concord,  etc.,  is 
to  be  deemed  a  heretic,  excommunicated  and  anathematized. 
Thus  it  becomes  manifest,  and  all  may  now  see  who  are  only 
willing  to  lift  up  their  eyes,  that  the  adoption  of  the  false  prin- 
ciple, namely,  that  the  Divine  is  not  in  all  the  same,  results 
in  the  elevation  of  hierarchs  and  priests  into  the  very  avenues 
of  light  flowing  from  the  Lord  himself  out  of  heaven — thus  in 
causing  that  Divine  light  to  become  eclipsed  and  darkened — 
the  sun  to  become  as  blood,  and  the  moon  black  as  sackcloth 
of  hair;  and  darkness  thence  to  cover  the  earth,  and  gross 
darkness  the  people!  We  may  know  who  they  were  that  the 
apostle  had  in  view,  when  he  spoke  of  '  wrestling  against  spir- 
itual wickedness  in  high  places — against  the  rulers  of  the  dark- 
ness of  tliis  world ;'  and  at  the  same  time,  also,  who  they  are, 
that  the  Lord  spoke  of  when  he  said,  « They  be  blind  leaders 
of  the  blind.' 

125.  Blinded  by  the  love  of  self,  the  clergy  take  up  the  fond 
coni-eit,  that  the  Divine  influx  was  particular  with  them  and 
in  them,  from  conception,  or  from  birth  at  least,  to  the  end 
that  they  might  be  predestinated  effectually  to  lord  it  over 
God's  heritage:  and  blinded  by  the  lust  of  dominion,  the  clergy 
take  up  the  fond  conceit,  that  it  belongs  to  their  high  calling 


128 


Particular  Illustration.  [Chap.  VI. 


to  hatch  and  carry  out  laws  of  church  order,  involving  the 
things  of  faith,  as  things  which  had  been  embodied  within  them 
as  holy  essences,  of  which  themselves  are  the  holy  form. 
Blind,  then,  indeed  must  lie  be  who  remains  unable  to  see,  that 
the  clergy,  thus  blinded,  become  the  '  blind  leaders  of  the  blind 
and  blinder  still,  if  unable  to  see,  thai  the  blind  who  are  led  by 
the  blind,  are  any  others  than  those  who  keep  the  understand- 
ing, and  all  the  perceptions  of  truth  thence  arising,  under  obc' 
dience  to  the  things  hatched  out  by  the  clergy  and  their  tools— 
that  is,  uad^.r  obedience  to  the  faith.    Is  it  not  manifest,  that 
they  who,  instead  of  looking  at,  and  thence  receiving  the  things 
of  faith,  from  the  light  of  the  understanding — that  candle  of  the 
Lord  lighted  up  in  the  mind  of  man — receive  the  things  of 
faith  in  the  dark,  that  is,  blindly,  at  the  hands  of  their  blind 
guides,  regardless  of  knowing  their  qualit)%  are,  for  that  reason, 
jusdy  called  the  blind  who  are  led  by  the  blind  ;  and  of  whom, 
with  their  leaders,  the  Lord  spoke  truly,  when  he  said,  '  both 
shall  fall  into  the  ditch  ?' 

126.  The  clergy  then,  as  we  have  seen,  adopted  the  false 
principle,  that  the  Divine  is  not  in  all  the  same ;  and  with  this, 
the  false  principle  thence  flowing,  namely,  that  the  Divine  with 
their  (supposed)  sacred  order  is  innate — is  from  conception — to 
the  end  that  they  might  be  predestinated,  if  not  from  eternity, 
yet  from  conception,  and  if  not  from  conception,  yet  from  birth, 
to  sway  the  sceptre  of  domination,  authority  and  rule  over  the 
church  and  kingdom  of  the  Lord.    But  when  this  latter  prin- 
ciple had  become  fairly  REFLECxr.D  from  the  face  of  the  priest- 
hood, as  from  a  viirror,  because  it  favors  the  lust  of  dominion 
and  worldly  glory,  it  was  tiiercfoie,  doubtless,  looked  at  with 
a  favorable  eye  by  men  of  power — by  the  mighty  and  noble, 
^  and  by  ihe  princes  and  rulers  of  this  loorld ;  and,  from  being 
thus  looked  at,  was  loved,  and  thence  unhesitatingly  embraced 
by  titem.    When  an  abomination  that  makes  desolate  is  set  up 
by  tlie  professed  ministers  of  God,  in  the  sanctuary,  it  were 
not  strange  to  see  it  soon  set  on  every  high  hill  and  under 
e^'ery  green  tree.'    The  law  of  the  Lord  should  go  forth  from 
Jerusalem — from  the  church;  but  if,  instead  of  this,  only  false 
principles,  favoring  the  lust  of  dominion,  arc  reflected  and  sent 
forth,  it  were  no  strange  thing  if  the  princes  of  this  world  should 
act  remarkably  prompt  in  carrying  out  such  principles  to  per- 
fection— to  the  life ; — that  is,  in  the  shape  of  despotism  and 
oppression  of  the  most  dire  character.    If  the  clergy  teach, 
that  'The  influx  which  produces  illumination  in  their  minds  is 
not  given  in  the  same  measure,  nor  with  the  same  power,  into 
the  minds  of  other  people,'  (compare  Precursor,  vol.  2,  p.  292,) 


D,  Arl.  3.]      Leaden  Shield  of  Superstition. 


129 


what  is  such  teaching  less  than  a  distorted  and  disordered  image 
of  Divine  Order,  (in  relation  to  llie  manner  of  illumination,) 
reflected  as  from  their  face  or  the  face  of  the  church  as  from 
a  mirror?    What  do  they  send  forlh  unto  the  world  less  than 
a  false  principle  ;  and  w  hich,  because  it  favors  the  lust  of  wealth 
and  domination,  instead  of  leading  men  to  unity  and  peace,  and 
thence  to  heaven,  tends  directly  to  convert  them  into  despots 
and  slaveholding  oppressors,  and  thence  into  fit  subjects  of  the 
devil  ?    That  such  is  really  the  case,  appears  from  this,  that 
the  oppressors  of  Jlfric^s  sable  race,  taking  the  false  principle 
in  question  as  true,  thence  justify  themselves  in  wrongs  and 
oppression — thence  become  decif  to  the  cries  or  sounds  of  pity 
and  mercy,  and  blind  to  the  sight  of  blood.'    Nay,  instead  of 
seeing  and  hearing  such  things — instead  of  suffering  the  arm 
that  wields  the  scorpion  and  the  whip,  even  to  blood  or  to  death 
itself,  to  become  in  the  least  paralyzed — instead  of  suffering 
themselves  '  to  feel  another's  woe,'  or  to  regard  the  tender 
feelings  of  humanity,  in  those  whom  they  oppress,  namely, 
instead  of  suffering  liieir  bowels  to  be  moved  by  means  of  ideas 
or  images  of  justice  and  humanity  in  relation  lo  the  oppressed, 
they,  as  a  shield  of  defence  against  humanity,  constantly  and 
stedfastly  keep  before  their  eyes  the  idea,  image  or  false  princi- 
ple reflected  from  the  church,  namely,  that  'The  Divine  injlu- 
ence  which  produces  the  light  of  reason  in  the  master,  is  not 
given  in  the  same  measure,  nor  with  the  same  power,  into  the 
mind  of  the  slave.'    This  principle,  in  the  hands  of  the  op- 
pressor, (until  hewn  into  shreds  by  the  powerful  force  of  the 
sword  of  truth,)  like  the  leaden  shield  of  superstition,  wards  off 
the  keenest  arguments — the  keenest  heart-searching  appeals 
that  can  be  made  to  justice  and  humanity.    Flattering  himself 
that  the  principle,  namely,  that  the  Divine  is  not  in  all  the  same, 
is  true,  because  taught  so  by  the  clergy,  the  oppressor  shields 
himself  with  it,  and  then  bids  defiance  to  all  who  would  oppose  ! 
He  wraps  himself  up  in  it  as  in  a  garment,  and  then  sleeps  se- 
curely !    He  reasons,  that  the  measures  of  Divinity  allotted  to 
men,  being  some  greater  and  others  less,  the  greater,  as  a 
mutter  of  course,  had  fallen  to  himself; — but,  (he  alleges.)  that 
the  greater  portion  given  to  him  was  for  one  end  or  purpose, 
and  the  lesser  measure  given  to  his  brother,  was  for  a  different 
end  or  purpose  ; — therefore,  (he  concludes,)  that  he  was  born 
to  command  and  rule  over  his  brother,  and  that  his  brother  was 
born  to  obey,  and  faithfully  serve  him  ^all  the  days  of  his  life;'' 
and  his  posterity  after  him  !    But,  the  best  reasoning  of  op- 
pressors, in  favor  of  oppression,  is  in  perfect  keeping  with  that 
of  the  wolf,  in  the  fable,  who  it  seems  was  determined  to  de^ 
vour  the  lamb,  with — or  without  reason  ! 


130 


Particular  Illustration.  QChap.  VI. 


Determined  to  oppress,  deaf  ears  they  turn ; 

Though  charmers  charm,  they  neither  hear  nor  learn, 

That  the  Divine,  in  all ,  is  still  the  same — 

In  rich  and  poor,  in  th'  blind,  and  dumb,  and  lame: 

That 't  is  as  perfect  in  the  timid  hind. 

As  in  his  lordly  master's  mighty  mind: 

That 't  is  as  perfect  in  the  slave  that  mourns. 

As  in  a  Gabriel  that  adores  and  burns. 

That  Omnipresence ,  heavenly  and  benign , 

Is  like  the  sun,  whose  rays  extended  shine 

.Alike  to  all;  and  that  th'  angelic  thought 

(Concerning  which  they  never  can  be  taught, 

And  which,  though  ersl  but  little  understood,) 

May  now  be  known  by  all  the  wise  and  good. 

127.  .African  slavery,  as  that  which  involves  the  most  dire 
oppression,  is  then  neither  more  nor  less  than  a  monstrous 
image  of  Divine  order,  reflected  from  the  distorted  and  disor- 
dered face  of  tlie  consummated  church,  as  from  a  mirror—' 
carried  out  into  life  and  act.    Such  being  the  case,  the  system 
of  Slavery  and  the  Hierarchal  system  must  needs  correspond 
in  all  their  prominent  features.    Nay,  it  is  quite  remarkable, 
that  it  should  seem  to  have  been  overlooked,  namely,  that  there 
is  no  argument  or  dogma  susceptible  of  being  used  in  support 
of  a  system  of  hierarchal  or  priestly  dominion  in  succession, 
but  what  is,  mutatis  mutandis,  of  equal  force  in  supporting  and 
building  up  a  system  of  slavery,  involving  the  dominion  of  the 
oppressor  in  succession  forever.    Whence  it  is,  that  the  subject 
of  African  slavery  may  now  be  exhibited  in  an  aspect,  not  only 
entirely  new,  hw\.  also  far  more  </er;;/?/ interesting  than  ever; 
and  for  this  good  reason,  that  tiie  mirror  whence  it  is  rejler.ted, 
— the  cause  of  which  it  is  an  effect,  and  the  source  from  which 
it  originates — are  all  discovered  and  made  bare  in  the  face  of 
heaven  and  good  men.    Nay,  from  the  things  adduced  in  the 
last  number,  it  may  be  seen  very  clearly,  that  not  only  African 
slavery,  but  oppression  of  every  species,  is  the  necessary  result 
of  the  preaching  up  by  the  clergy,  by  word  and  deed,  of  that 
false  principle,  namely,  that  '■the  Divine  is  not  in  all  the  same.' 
Tlie  iiierarchal  system  and  the  system  of  slavery  and  oppres- 
sion, may  now  be  exhibited  in  juxtaposition,  so  that  from  the 
correspondence  and  analogy  existing  between  them,  they  may 
serve,  not  only  in  the  first  place,  to  illustrate  each  other,  but  in 
the  second  place,  to  condemn  and  prostrate  each  other  for  ever. 

Whence,  to  the  end  that  they  may  thus  be  exhibited,  it  is 
proposed  (iu  the  next  number)  to  state  some  of  the  arguments, 


D.  Art.  3.3       Juxtaposition  and  Analogy. 


131 


as  above  suggested,  which  may  justly  be  conceived  to  be  ex- 
hibited in  support  of  the  hierarchal  system,  and  at  the  same 
time  show,  that,  mutatis  mutandis,  they  are  of  equal  force  in 
support  of  slavery  and  oppression.  . 


128.  Arguments,  dogmas,  etc.. 
in  support  of  the  Hierarchal 
system. 

MIRROR  OR  CAVSF.. 

1.  Hierarch.  The  influx  which 
proiluces  illumination  and  illustra- 
tion in  the  uiinils  of  pastors,  is  not 
given  from  heaven  in  the  same  meas- 
ure, nor  with  the  same  power  into 
the  niinds  of  toymen.  (Compare  Pre- 
cursor, vol.  2,  p.  '292,  first  column.) 

2.  H.  Hierarchs  being  exalted 
far  above  lai;mcn,  are  therefore  the 
higher  powers;  (see  n.  55,  articles 
11,  12;)  therefore,  also,  every  lay- 
man should  be  subject  to  the  priesl- 
liood,  as  to  a  higher  power;  inas- 
much as  the  powers  that  be  are  or- 
dained of  God;  and  he  who  resists 
shall  receive  ihc  greater  condemua- 
tion.  {U)    (Sue  Rom.  xiii.  1.) 


Things  mutatis  mutandis,  in 
support  of  the  Slave  sys- 
tem. 

IMAGE   OR  EFFECT. 

Slaver.  The  Divine  influx,  whence 
is  lib(frty,  rationality,  wis(lora  and 
intelligence  in  the  minds  of  masters, 
is  not  given  in  the  same  measure, 
nor  with  the  same  power  into  the 
minds  of  their  slaucs. 

S.  Slaveholders  being  exalted  far 
above  slaves,  are  therefore  the  higher 
powers.  Whence,  every  slave  should 
be  subject  to  the  masterdom  as  to  a 
higher  power;  inasmuch  as  the  pow- 
eis  that  be  are  ordained  of  God,  and 
he  who  resists  the  power  shall  re- 
ceive in  himself  the  greater  condem- 
nation,—  wliether  to  grievous  priva- 
tions, to  the  whip,  or  to  the  scorpion. 


(Z2)  The  apostle  here  teaches,  that  the  powers  that  be,  however  ung^odly 
they  are,  yet  being  reflected  from  a  spiritual  mediiim  receptive  of  the  Divine 
power — and  in  this  sense,  ordained  of  God — Christians  are  therefore  not  to 
resist  them  by  carnal  weapon'.  Said  the  Lord  to  Peter,  '  Put  up  ihy  sword; 
all  they  that  take  the  sword  shall  peri-h  by  the  sword.'  From  which  we  far- 
ther learn,  that  they  nho  resist  the  powers  that  be,  with  carnal  weapons,  re- 
sist the  Divine  order  of  the  influx  of  goodness  and  Irulh — thus  the  way  of 
Divine  power  in  tliemselvcs,  an<\  which  results  in  placing-  thetn  without  the 
protection  of  Divine  power — without  which,  falling  into  the  hands  of  their 
enemies,  they  perish  by  the  sword,  or  receive  a  greater  condenmalion  or  pun- 
ishment even  in  this  life,  than  had  they  at  first  resorted  to  spiritual  zceajions, 
which  are  migl>ty  through  God  to  the  pulling  down  of  strong  holds.  But, 
that  ungodly  principalities  and  powers  were  to  be  resisted  by  more  etl'ectual 
weapons  than  carnal  or  earthly,  the  apostle  abundanlly  teaches  in  all  his 
epistles.  In  one  place  he  observes,  'The  weapons  of  our  warfare  are  not 
natural,  but  mighty  through  God  to  the  pulling  down  0^3! rang  holds,'  that  is, 
exalted  hierarchal  establishments,  and  'casting  down  imaginations,  and  every 
high  thing  that  exalteth  itself  against  the  knowledge  of  God.'  That  is,  eccle- 
iiastical  laws  and  commandments  of  men,  seeing  these  make  void  the  law  of 
God — thus  the  knowledge  of  God.»(See  1  Cor.  x.)  And,  in  another  place,  he 
says, '  Put  on  therefore  the  whole  armor  of  God,  that  you  may  be  able  to  with- 
stand the  wiles  of  the  devil.'  That  is.  the  sophistry  of  those  in  the  LOVE  OP 
SELF  and  thence  in  the  LUST  OF  dominion; — adding,  '  We  wrestle  not  against 
flesh  and  blood,'  (that  is,  otherwise  our  weapons  should  be  natural,)  '  but 
against  principalities  and  powers — against  the  r}ilers  of  the  darkness  of  this 
world — against  spiritualwickedncss  in  high  places,'  fheavenly  places.J  That 
is,  against  hierarchists,  who,  from  claiming  to  themselves  a  greater  portion  of 
the  divinity  or  divine  influence  than  they  allow  to  the  laity,  have  therefore 
exalted  theQ;selves  to  high  or  heavenly  places,  namely,  to  the  throne  of  God 


132  Particular  Illustration.  [Chap.  VI. 


Mutatis 


MinnoR  OR  CAUSE. 


3.  H.  y-'</i<ori  arc  lo  be  regiinleil 
as  being  made  or  ordained  «f  God, 
thus  of  Divine  appointment;  there 


Alulandis. 


IMAGE  OR   f  FFKCT. 


S,  Masters  are  to  be  regarded  at 
being  made  or  ordained  of  God, 
thus  of  Divine  appointment;  there- 


fore the  laily  are  to  respect  their  fore  slaves  are  to  respect  their  riglits, 
rights,    privileges    and    authority,  privileges  and  authority. 
(Compare  Precursor,  vol.  2,  p.  9.) 


4.  II.  Whatever  of  power  or 
authority  is  possessed  by  the  pastor, 
is  received  not  from  the  lnH^/,  but 
from  a  superior  measure  of  the  influx 
of  heaven  into  his  mind.  Whence, 
the  laity  should  freely  award  power, 
autliority  and  influence  to  thep«5/or, 
as  rights  a|)pertaining  to  him.  (Com- 
pare Precursor,  vol.  2,  p.  10.) 

5.  //.  The  power  of  determin- 
ing what  n;ight,  or  what  might  not 
have  a  favorable  bearing  upon  the 


■S.  Whatever  of  power  or  author- 
ity is  possessed  by  the  master,  is  re- 
ceived, not  from  his  slaves,  but  from 
a  superior  measure  of  the  influx  of 
heaven  into  his  mind.  Whence, 
slaves  must  award  authority  and 
power  to  their  master,  as  rights  ap- 
pertaining to  him. 

5".  The  power  of  determining 
what  n)i;:ht,  or  what  might  not  have 
a  tavor:il)le  bearing  upon  the  intnr- 


interests  of /ii'erarc/w,  and  thence  of  csts  of  slave-owners,  and  thence  of 
encouraging  or  of  sujjpressing  it,  be-  encouraging  or  of  suppressing  it,  so 
longs  prinjarily  to  the  clergy  them- as  not  to  ste  the  light  through  the 
selv  es.  (Compare  Precursor,  vol.  2,  medium  of  the  press,  belongs  priiua- 
p,  305,  second  column,  near  the  top.)  rily  to  slavers  themselves 


6.  II.  There  is  a  hierarchal  tys 
tern  recognized  in  the  church.  (Com- 
pare Precursor,  vol.2,  p.  222,  art.  3.) 

7.  II.  'J'he  laiti/  had  a  right,  in 
the  first  place,  to  originate  and  es 
tablish  a  hierarchy  ;  but  which  bein< 
once  established,  the  right  no  longer 
exists — the  case  becomes  altere;! 
(Compare  Precursor,  vol.  2,  p.  322, 
article  4  ) 

8.  //.  The  duties,  functions, 
powers  and  prerogatives,  properly 
pertaining  to  priests.,  have  all  been 
relinqui-hcd  by  the  laiiy  by  a  formal 
act  !  (Compare  Precursor,  vol.  2, 
p.  322,  art.  5.) 

9.  II.  It  is  <aci7ily  acknowledged, 
that  pastors  are  dependent  on  lay- 
men.   (Ibid.,  art.  7.) 

10.  //.  The  cldrf  pricsl  should 
■watch  over  subordinate  priests. 
{Ibid.,  art.  8.) 

11.  //.  Huhordinale  priests  are 
to  distinctly  define  the  relation  in 
%vhich  each  layman  stands,  in  regard 


IS.  'J'licre  is  a  system  of  slavery 
recognized  in  the  world, 

S.  Slaves,  originall}',  may  have 
been  permitted  to  choose  and  ordain 
their  own  masters;  but  masters  being 
once  chosen,  the  original  right  no 
longer  exists — the  circumstances  be- 
ing altogether  altered,  and  the  ne- 
cessity removed. 

S.  The  powers  and  prerogatives 
properly  pcitainiiig  to  masters,  have 
all  been  relinquished  by  slaves,  by 
means  of  formal  acts,  under  the  aus- 
iiices  of  the  whip  and  scorpion  I 

S.  It  is  silently  acknowledged, 
that  mast  jrs  are  dependent  on  slaves. 

S.  The  chief  slave-owner  should 
watch  over  subordinate  masters  or 
ovft-seers. 

S.  'I'he  overseers  of  slaves  arc  to 
distinctly  define  the  ability  and  dis- 
position of  each  slave,  in  regard  to 


itself;  and  llieiice,  having  erZ/'/'ieJ  and  intercepted  the  light  of  heaven,  the 
npostie,  with  the  iitniosi  propriely,  styles  them  the  rulers  of  tlie  darkness  of 
this  world.  (See  n.  124.)  Whence  it  may  also  be  seen,  that  the  apostle  not 
only  resisted,  but  wrestled  mightily  against  powebs. 


D.  Art.  3.3        Juxtapoiilion  and  Analogy.  133 


Mutatis 


MIRKOR  OR  CAUSE. 


to  the  rest;  and  to  urge  that  ever)' 
measure,  cnlculated  to  proiuotu  the 
interests  of  |)riestj,  be  carried  out. 
(Compare  Precursor,  vol.  2,  p.  324, 
second  column. ) 

12.  H.  'I"he  power,  the  impulse, 
and  the  peculiaradaptation  hy  wliicli 
priests  arc  predtslinaled,  Irom  concep' 
tion  or  cliildhood ,  to  teach  or  rule 
the  laity,  and  to  perform  executive 
duties,  namely,  to  execute  their  own 
will,  in  the  shape  of  ecclesiastical 
Invvs,  are  all  from  on  higli.  (C  om- 
pare Piecursor,  vol.  2,  p.  323,  art.  2, 
and  vol.  .3,  p.  138,  2d  column  ;  also, 
The  Nowchurclitiian,  pp.  142,  143.) 

13.  H.    The  chief  priest  is  per- 
fectly safe,  in  suffering  laymen  to 
nominate  those  who  shall  take  the 
immediate  rule  over  thein,  as  long  as 
he  can  tela  or  approve  at  pleasure 
the  nomination  so  made.    Nay,  far- 
tlier,  after  the  chief  priest  h.is  ap 
proved  of  one  so  nominated,  it  ii 
perfectly  safe  to  sutler  the  laity  to 
accept  of  and  submit  to  his  rule, 
even  although  it  might  ihence  ap 
pear  to  Uicm,  that  they  held  both 
enis  of  the  ciwis  in  their  own  hands. 
(Compare  Precursor,  vol.  2,  p.  307 
lirst  column.) 

14.  //.  The  spiritual,  (hat  is,, 
the  clergy,  must  rule  the  temporal. 
that  is,  tlie  laity,  by  all  sort  of  means 
and  expedients  when  ncessarv.  (Sie 
n.  53,  art.  32  ) 

15.  H.  The  clergy  alone  being 
illu^tratc'l,  are  they  who  alone  triil^ 
understand  the  Word,  the  mind  and 
will  of  heaven;  therefore  it  is,  tliat 
laymen,  who  presume  to  understand 
the  Word,  and  thence  to  interpret  oi 
teach  it,  do  nothing  less  than  infringe 
on  the  rights  of  the  clergy.  Laymen 
therefore,  instead  of  presuming  to 
understand  t-he  Word,  are  only  to 
read  the  Word  in  their  fami:ies, 
along  with  the  orthodox  prayers  and 
calecidstns  provided  for  them  by  their 
priests.  Whence,  also,  they  are  not 
allowed  to  assemble  themselves  to- 
gether without  a  priest  at  their  head, 
under  pretext  of  consulting  on  the 


Mutandis. 


IMAGE   OR  EFFECT. 


the  rest ;  and  to  urge,  with  whips  and 
scorpions,  that  measures  cnlculated 
to  promote  the  interest  of  the  chief 
owner  be  carried  out  effectually. 
(See  n.  53,  art.  44,  note  aa.) 

S.  The  power,  the  peculiar 
idaptation,  and  the  impulse  thence, 
by  which  masters  are  predestinated 
from  chihlhootL,  to  rule  over  slaves 
with  a  rod  of  iron — thus  to  perform 
executive  duties,  namely,  to  execute 
their  own  will,  in  the  shape  of  slave 
laws,  are  all  from  on  high. 


S.  The  chief  slave-owner  is  per- 
fectly safe,  in  suffering  his  slaves  to 
nominate  those  who  shall  take  the 
immediate  rule  over  them,  as  long 
as  himself  can  veto  or  approve  at 
pleasure  the  nomination  so  made. 
Nay,  farther,  after  the  chief  owner 
has  approve(l  of  one  so  nominated, 
't  is  perfectly  safe  to  suffer  his  slaves 
to  accept  of  and  submit  to  his  rule, 
even  although  it  might  thence  ap- 
pear to  ihem,  that  they  held  both 
ends  of  the  cn.\iN  in  their  own  hands. 


S.  The  noble,  tliat  is,  the  masters, 
nust  rule  tlie  ignoble,  that  is,  the 
ilaves,  by  all  sorts  of  means  and  ex- 
pedients when  necessary. 


S.    Slave-otmers  alone  being  truly 
ational,  are  they  who  alone  truly 
understand  the  laws  of  Divine  order, 
ind  thence  the  true  relations  be- 
tween master  and  slave :  therefore  it 
is,  that  slaves  who  presume  to  tinder- 
^tand  the   order   of   heaven,  and 
thence  to  teach  it,  do  nothing  less 
than  infringe  on  the  rights  of  their 
nasters. '  Slaves  therefore,  instead 
of  presuming  to  understand  the  order 
)f  heaven,  are  only  to  look  at  it  as 
exhibited  in  Jones''  Catechism,  or  in 
ther  orthodox  things,  whether  pray- 
ers, hymns,  or  sermons,  provided  for 
iheni  by  their  masters.  Whence, 
they  are  not  to  be  allowed  to  assem- 
12 


134 


Particular  Illustration, 


[Chap.  VI. 


Mutatis 

MIRROR  OR  CAUSE. 

things  of  faith,  salvation  and  heaven, 
lest  it  might  result  in  a  disregard 
and  contempt  towards  their  priests; 
but,  coiitrari wife,  special  care  should 
be  had,  that  those  of  diverse/amito 
be  neither  invited  nor  permitted  to 
join  with  each  other  in  their  famih 
devotions.  (Compare  Con.  Faith, 
596  to  600,  Edinburg  edition;  also, 
Precursor,  vol .  2,  page  292,  first  co- 
lumn.) 

16.  H.  The  spirit  of  republican 
institutions  gives  laymen  a  fearful 
tendency.  It  disqualifies  them  from 
tamely  submitting,  with  implicit 
obedience,  to  the  mandates  of  the 
clergy.  But  we  hope  to  see  the  time 
when  the  clouds  of  republican  prin- 
ciples rprinci|)les  of  freedom  I)  will 
all  be  (Tissipated ;  and  the  donjinion 
of  priests  be  firmly  established  for- 
ever. (Compare  Precursor,  vol.  2, 
p.  240,  first  column.) 

17.  H.  Ecclesiastical  laivs  are  ab- 
stract things,  like  essence  without 
form ;  whence  it  is,  that  ecclesiastics 
are  given — in  which  they  are  em- 
bodied and  thence  carried  out. — 
^What  Vierffore  God  has  joined  to- 
gether, let  not  man  put  asunder." 
(Compare  Precursor,  vol.  2,  p.  341, 
first  column.) 

18.  H.  Any  effort  to  interrupt 
this  connection — any  eflbi t  to  inv.ali- 
date  the  authority  of  a  priest,  or  to 
interrupt  him  in  the  carrying  out  of 
things  embodied  wilhin  him,  or  any 
effort  ill  a  layman  to  assume  the 
privileges  of  a  priest,  without  license 
to  that  end  from  his  chief  priest,  is 
none  other  than  to  aim  a  blow  at  the 
very  foundation  of  the  clerical  edi- 
fice; and,  at  the  same  time,  to  aid 
those  who  are  the  enemies  of  order 
and  good  government.    (Ibid  .) 

19.  H.  To  correct  abuses  in  the 
hierarchal  system,  laymen,  under  the 
mistaken  notion  of  ficedoiii,  are  not 
to  interfere  with  the  fundamental^ 
principles  of  the  church.  They  are 
not  to  say,  'Come,  since  the  clergy, 
abuse  their  power,  we'll  take  it  iutol 


Mutandis. 

IMAGE  OR  EFFKCT. 

ble  t'lgether  by  themselves,  to  devise 
means  for  the  ameliuration  of  their 
own  condition,  lest  it  might  result  in 
contempt  towards  their  masters. 
Nay,  special  care  must  be  had,  that 
those  of  diverse  quarters  be  neither 
invited  ner  permitted  to  join  with 
each  other  in  their  secret  meetings. 


&  The  spirit  of  republican  insti- 
tutions gives  slaves  a  fearful  tenden- 
cy. It  disqualifies  them  from  tamely 
submitting,  in  implicit  obedience,  to 
the  mandates  of  their  masters.  But 
we  hope  to  see  ihe  time  that  the 
clouds  of  republicanism  will  all  be- 
come dissipated ;  and  the  dominion 
of  slave-owners  firmly  established 
forever. 


S.  Pio-slarery  lates  or  principles 
are  abstract  things,  like  essences 
without  form;  therefore  it  is,  that 
shivers  are  given — in  which  they  are 
embodied  and  thence  carried  out  to 
ihe  life.  'What  therefore  God  hath 
joined  together,  let  not  man  put 
asunder  I' 

S.  Any  effort  to  interrupt  this 
connection — any  effort  to  invalidate 
the  authority  of  a  slaver,  or  to  in- 
terrupt him  in  carrying  out,  in  the 
form  of  wounds  and  blood,  principles 
embodied  wilhin  liim,  or  any  effort 
in  a  slave  to  assume  the  privileges  of 
a  master,  without  special  license  to 
that  end  from  his  owner,  is  none 
other  than  to  aim  a  blow  at  theverj 
Ibuiidation  of  the  slave  system;  and, 
at  the  same  time,  to  aid  those  who 
are  enemies  of  order  and  good  gov- 
ernment. 

S.  To  correct  abuses  in  the  slave 
system,  slaves,  under  the  mistaken 
notion  of  freedom,  are  not  to  inter- 
^fcre  with  the  fundamental  laws  of 
the  State.  They  are  not  to  sty, 
I'Come,  since  the  slavers  abuse  their 
Ipower,  we  '11  take  it  into  our  own 


D.  Art.  3.]        Juxtaposition  and  Analogy. 


135 


Mutatis 

nun  noil  or  causk. 

our  own  hands,  and  every  man  be 
his  own  priest.'  (Ibid.  See  also, 
n.  53  an'l  54.) 

20.  H.  Laymen  would  do  well 
to  consider,  that,  however  abused  by 
priestly  dominion,  yet,  in  attempt- 
ing to  take  the  power  into  their  own 
hands,  they  confound  the  distinction 
between  the  clergy  and  laity ;  and 
thus  in  fad  cause  the  abuse  com- 
plained of .'    (Ibid. ) 

21.  H.  Ecclesiasliral freedom,  in 
relation  to  laymen,  consists  not  in 
their  doing  as  they  please,  by  any 
means;  but,  contrariwise,  in  the 
spirit  of  meekness  and  humility,  sub- 
missively putting  their  necks  under 
the  yoke  of  the  cclesiastical  laws 
which  the  clergy  have  carried  out 
from  being  embodied  within  them; 
and  faithfully  to  discharge  the  duties 
thence  enjoined,  all  the  days  of  their 
lives.    (Ibid.    See  also  n.  53,  54.) 

22.  H.  Those  who  stand  in  op- 
position to  the  above  principles,  upon 
which  the  hierarchal  edifice  is  found- 
ed, are  none  others  than  unorthodox 
radicals,  levellers  and  disorganizers, 
\vho  stop  not  to  speak  uncnurteously 
and  disrespectfully  even  of  the  sacred 
order  of  llie  priesthood  itself.  N'ay, 
who  even  speak  many  hard  things, 
that  is,  things  not  easy  to  be  answered. 
(Compare  Pi'ecursor,  vol.3,  p.  64; 
also  p.  96,  second  column.)  | 


Mutandis. 

IMAGE  OR  FFFECT. 

hands,  and  every  man  be  his  own 
tnaster. 

S.  Slaves  would  do  well  to  con- 
sider, that,  however  abused  by  whips 
and  scorpions,  yet,  in  attempting  to 
wrest  them  out  of  the  hands  of  the 
oppressor,  they  confound  the  distinc- 
tion between  master  and  slave ;  and 
thus  in  fact  cause  the  abuse  com- 
plained of  I 

S.  Freedom,  as  referred  to  slaves^ 
consists  not  in  their  doing  as  they 
please,  by  any  means;  but,  contrari- 
wise, in  the  spirit  of  tameness  and 
humility,submissively  yielding  to  the 
mandates  of  their  masters,  as  to  the 
command  of  heaven  itself,  carried 
out  through  them ,  from  being  em- 
bodied within;  and  faithfully  to  dis- 
charge their  duties  thence  enjoined, 
all  the  da3's  of  their  lives,  and  their 
posterity  after  them. 

S.  Those  who  stand  in  opposition 
to  the  above  principles,  upon  which 
the  pro-slavery  system  is  founded,  are 
none  others  than  levelling,  disorgan- 
izing abolitionists,  who  stop  not  to 
speak  disrespectfully  of  the  noble  order 
of  slaverdom  itself.  Nay ,  even  things 
which  are  such  a  reproach  to  us,  that 
we  are  sometimes  constrained  to  cry 
out  with  the  poet, 
I'To  hear  an  open  slander  is  a  curse; 
|But  not  to  find  an  answer,  is  a  worse.' 


From  all  which,  and  from  numerous  other  instances  thai 
might  with  equal  propriety  have  been  adduced,  had  it  been 
needful,  is  not  the  proposition  at  first  proposed  abundantly- 
manifested,  namely,  that  there  is  no  argument,  proposition, 
dogma,  or  doctrine,  calculated  to  build  up  and  support  a  hierar- 
chal system  in  succession,  on  the  ground  or  principle  that  the 
Divine  is  not  in  all  the  same,  but  what  is,  mutatis  mutandis, 
of  equal  force  in  building  up  a  system  of  slavery  and  oppres- 
sion ?  Is  it  not  evident,  that  the  latter  is  an  image  or  effect 
reflected  from,  or  growing  out  of  the  former,  as  from  an  appro- 
priate mirror  or  cause?  And,  from  thus  viewing  them  in  fux- 
taposition,  and  especially  from  the  light  they  shed  on  eack 
other's  countenance,  are  we  not  ready  to  exclaim,  as  in  the 


136 


Particular  Illustration. 


[Chap.  VL 


case  of  Alexander  and  the  robber — are  they  then  so  much  alike! 
— priests  to  oppressors ! — the  priesthood  to  slaver dom  in  all 
its  appalling  and  horrid  forms!  Priesthood  or  priestcraft,  as 
it  exists  in  the  consummated  church,  is,  by  the  Divine  mercy, 
now  at  last,  in  the  latter  day  glory,  exhibited  as  it  should  be, 
and  where  it  ought  to  be;  that  is,  in  close  relatioiisiiip,  and 
thence  in  juxtaposition  with  slaverdom  ;  and,  it  is  trusted,  tliat 
they  will  be  maintained  in  that  position  as  often  as  presented 
to  the  mind,  as  that  which  is  most  favorable  to  their  prostrating, 
neutralizing  and  annihilating  each  other. 

129.  Slavery,  it  is  true,  has  all  along  been  seen  in  its  horrific 
zndi  true  colors;  nevertheless,  because  the  relations  and  cor- 
respondences existing  between  the  system  of  slavery  and  the 
hierarchal  system  of  the  consummated  church,  was  neither  spe- 
cially looked  at  nor  sought  after^  therefore  it  is,  tliat  they 
remained  undiscovered,  and  as  it  were  unknown.  Wiience, 
unaided  by  all  the  light  arising  from  those  relations  and  corres- 
pondences, the  subject  of  slavery,  whatever  facts  miglit  other- 
wise have  been  known  respecting  it,  must  necessarily  have  been 
comparatively  obscure  ;  for  it  is  well  known,  that  every  object 
of  thought  is  obscure,  in  proportion  to  the  fewness  of  the  rela- 
tions, analogies  and  correspondences  discovered  as  belonging 
to  it ;  and  vice  versa.  Whence,  the  servants  of  the  Lord,  in 
striking  measurably  in  the  dark,  have  not  heretofore  struck  so 
effeclually  at  the  root  as  they  doubtless  will  hereafter;  and 
especially  when  it  is  considered,  that  while  the  root  or  cause 
remains,  the  c^ect  will  forever  exhibit  itself  in  one  form  or 
another.  Such  being  the  case,  it  may  be  observed,  that  al- 
tiiough  England  may  boast  of  the  abolition  of  slavery  within 
her  domains,  yet  it  should  be  known,  that  while  lier  ghostly 
hierarchy  is  nourished,  supported  and  firmly  established,  a  per- 
verted and  distorted  image  of  Divine  order  will  ever  be  reflect- 
ed from  il,  in  the  form  of  an  ungodly  power,  whether  to  be 
wielded  over  the  oppressed  and  dejected  sons  of  .Africa,  or 
over  her  own  faithful  and  loyal  subjects  and  citizens. 

130.  The  tone  of  philosophy,  whether  as  referred  to  the 
wisdom  of  idealism,  or  the  goodness  of  morality,  or  to  civil 
institutions  thence  resulting,  arises  fom  no  other  source  than 
from  the  state  of  the  church  in  man;  and  is  reflected  from  no 
other  mirror  than  ihe  priesthood,  (mm)    The  church  being 


(mm)  Draco,  the  Athenian  hiwgiver,  from  the  dark  slate  of  the  church 
within  him,  namely,  from  the  obscurity  of  the  principles  of  goo<lncss  and 
truth,  and  from  the  adoption  of  false  principles,  whether  reflected  from 
the  face  of  Flamins,  Brahmins,  Druids,  Magi,  or  other  priests,  whether 
Egyptian  or  Jewis/ij  wrote  his  laws  with  blood  instead  of  common  inks  and, 


D.  Art.  3.]  The  Church  first  given. 


137 


given  in  the  first  place,  it  is,  for  that  reason,  to  the  woild  what 
the  soul  is  to  the  body.  Said  the  Lord  to  the  men  of  the 
church,  '  Ye  are  the  salt  [life  or  soul]  of  the  eartli' — '  Ye  are 


T\s  Diderot^  a  modern  French  philosopher,  would  have  done,  so  he  decreed, 
that  all  who  should  be  found  guilty  of  any  crime  whatever,  should  be 
put  to  death  without  mercy.  But  that  the  bloody  laws  of  Draco,  in  the 
complex,  were  none  other  than  a  monstrous  image  of  Divine  order,  reflected 
from  the  priesthood,  may  be  seen  from  this,  that  even  in  these  latter  days 
of  light  and  civil  liberty,  the  very  principles  from  which  they  necessarily 
flowed,  are  still  taught  by,  and  thence  reflected  from  the  priesthood; — 
and  especially  where  they  teach,  that  God  is  vindictive;  that,  for  the  least 
offence  against  his  honor  or  glori/,  nothing  less  than  blood  xvill  ever  satisfy 
fiim;  that  every  transgressior.  of  the  law,  however  slight  it  may  be  con- 
ceived to  be,  deserves  God^s  wrath  and  curse,  both  in  this  life  and  that  which 
is  to  come;*  and  that  nothing  less  than  the  xrholc  penalty  can  satisfy — 
which  penalty  is  not  a  v>und  of  fl'sh  nearest  Uie  heart!  (this  were  only  a 
Jewish  penalty  and  a  Jewish  satisfaction !) — but  a  penalty  consisting  of 
death  spiritual,  temporal  and  eternal, — along  with  the  ivorm  spoken  of  by 
Melanctkon,  (Brooks,  vol.  I,  p.  207.)  compared  with  which,  he  alleged, 
tliat  'the  gnawings  of  the  vuliure  at  the  liver  of  Tityus,  in  Tartarus,  were 
but  mere  tica-bites"  JS'ay,  is  it  not  almost  manifest,  that  if  it.  were  now 
giveti  to  the  disciples  of  those  who  thus  teach  to  frame  the  law,  and  to 
w-iuTE  IT,  (Lsa.,  X.  1,)  it  would  even  yet  be  written  with  blood  instead 
of  ink! 

The  Spartans,  conceiving  themselves  to  be  elect,  chosen  and  precious 
persons,  endowed  with  a  greater  portion  of  the  Divinity  than  others,  were 
therefore  by  far  too  proud  to  cat  their  bread  by  the  sweat  of  their  face; 
therefore  it  was,  that  they  were  slave-holders  who  lived  in  idleness  and 
rapine,  at  tlie  expense  of  tlie  toil  and  drudgery  of  miserable,  dejected  and 
op|iresse'l  slaves.    Whence  it  should  nut  be  accounted  stran«;e,  that  in 
their  code  of  laws  it  was  laid  down,  that  no  crime  whatever  should  be 
considered  of  any  offence,  provided  it  were  only  kept  concealed;  especially 
when  it  is  considered,  that  the  false  principle,  of  which  such  a  law  is  but 
a  reflection,  is  taught  by  the  priesthood  even  at  the  present  day.    As  for 
example,  do  they  not  teach,  that  the  sins  of  the  elect,  which  are  as  many 
as  there  are  stars  in  tlieflrTnamenI,  anil  which  may  be  of  the  most  heinous 
character,  nevertheless,  because  hidden  and  covered  up  uqder  the  cloak  of 
'Christ's  righteousness,'  are  therefore  not  in  the  least  offensive  in  die  sight 
of  heaven! — that  the  cloak  of  Chri-t's  righteousness  covers  all  the  sins  of  the 
elect:  therefore  they  may  wrap  themselves  up  in  it,  and  sleep  in  peace, 
without  fear  of  hell,  curse,  or  the  devil  !  (Bmoks,  vol.  1,  pp.  97  and  3S3.) 
Nay,  farther,  that  this  cloak  will  give  the  elect  great  boldness  before  the 
judgment  seat  of  God! — so  much  so,  that  when  the  juilge  (in  consequence 
of  their  being  clad  in  it)  pronounces  them  righteous,  '■they  will  go  away 
shouting  rigiileous!  righttous!^   (^'ee  Brooks'  Golden  Key,  vol.  1,  p  408.) 
But,  respecting  ihe  celebrated  Spartan,  law,  necess  arily  flowing  from  such 
false  principle,  we  are  inforaied,  that  a  Spartan  youth,  having  stolen  a 
vicious  animal  of  the  for  species  from  his  fellow,  and  hidden  it  under  his 
cloak,  was  straightway  brougiit  before  the  judgment  sral,  while  it  was  yet 
in  his  possession,  to  the  end  that  he  might  be  openly  detected  and  pun- 
ished.   But  the  thief  keenfcg  the  animal  closely  concealed  under  his 
cloak,  (the  cloak  of  righteousness,)  the  court  could  do  ijo  other  than  let 


»  See  the  Constitution  ol  the  Associate  Reformed  Church. 

12* 


138 


Particular  Illustration.  [Chap.  VI, 


the  light  of  the  world,'  etc.  (Matt.  v.  13,  14.)  In  accordance 
with  the  truth  of  this  doctrine,  we  find,  that  the  Jirst  institu- 
tions amongst  men  were  purely  religious;  and,  that  when  the 

him  go,  as  a  righteous  person!  Nevertheless,  the  fox,  it  seems,  would  not 
have  it  so;  for,  according  to  vrhat  is  reluted  respecting  it,  it  had  been 
tearing  its  possessor,  during  the  course  of  the  trial,  and  now,  when  he  was 
about  to  be  let  go,  succeeded  in  actually  tearing  out  his  bowels.'.'  In  ap. 
plication  of  which,  let  it  be  asked,  of  wliat  avail  to  a  guilty  sinner  is  a 
robe  or  cloak  of  righteousness,  under  which  to  hide  that  guilt,  which  in 
tearing,  ceases  not  until  it  tears  out  his  bowels?  Of  what  avail  was  it  to 
Judas  to  be  put  in  possession  of  the  cloak  of  Clirist's  righteousness,  cquaU}/ 
with  the  rest  of  the  twelve  who  followed  the  Lord,  if  he  accepted  it  only 
as  a  cloak  under  which  to  bide  his  guilt — the  reward  of  his  iniquity,  anil 
the  evils  of  life  thence  appropriated,  [^field  purchased,]— which  threw  him 
down  headlong  in  tlie  7nidst,  [of  his  evils,]  so  that  all  his  bowels  gushed  out? 
[the  principles  of  love  and  mercy  hecaiue  extinct.]    (Acts,  i.  18.) 

In  the  time  of  Henry  VIII.  of  England,  it  was  enacted,  that  'if  aoy 
person  or  persons  shall  publish  any  tiling  to  the  slander  of  the  queen,  or 
to  the  derogation  of  the  union  between  the  king  and  queen  Ann,  they 
shall  suffer  death,  as  in  cases  of  treason.'  Dut  this  law  was  reflected  from 
the  priesthood;  for  they  taught,  that  'it  was  a  heinous  and  wicked  thing 
for  men  to  lay  open  to  the  world  the  sins  of  the  elect,  which  it  is  the  glory 
of  God  to  conceal' — '  the  defects  of  whom  it  is  his  glory  to  conceal  with 
his  fingers,  even  as  Cssar  was  painted  with  his  finger  on  his  warl.^  (See 
Brooks,  pp.  94,  95, 97.)  ^ 

Henry  VIII.  was  constituted  the  supreme  head  of  the  church  of  Eng- 
land, with  power  to  correct  and  reform  it  '  according  to  the  council  of 
his  own  good  pleasure.'  The  reason  of  which  was,  the  clergy  had  taught 
that  fahe  principle,  namely :  'Gorf  does  whatsoever  he  wills,  (or  no  other 
reason  than  because  he  wills  it.^  (See  Gill's  Works,  and  E.  Cole  on  God's 
Sovereignty.) 

The  Holi/  maid  of  Kent,  who  fearlessly  proclaimed  that '  if  Henry  VIII. 
proceeded  in  his  ma<l  career,  he  should  nnt,  in  the  estimation  of  heaven,  be 
king  one  hour,  but  should  die  a  villain's  death,'  was,  along  wi(h  the  hon- 
est bishop  Fisher,  the  amiable  archbishop  Warham,  and  the  intellectual 
Sir  Thomas  More,  executed  without  mercy.  The  reason  was,  the  false 
principle,  namely,  that  '//te  understanding  must  be  kept  under  obedience  to 
Vie  faith,''  had*been  abundantly  reflected  from  the  face  of  the  priesthood  I 
In  the  time  of  Henry  VIII.,  those  friars  who  most  blackened  themselves, 
averring  that  'the  pit  of  hell  was  rca<ly  to  swallow  them  up  for  their 
crimes  and  ill  life,'  were  received  with  the  least  scruple,  as  good  members 
of  that  church  of  which  he  was  the  supreme  head.  The  false  principle, 
namely,  that  '  the  elect  icere  from  eternity  elected  to  heaven,  withoiit  foresisht 
of  faith  or  good  works,'  had  been  reflected  from  the/arc  of  the  priesthood; 

In  the  court  of  Leo,  courtiers  and  sciui-pagan  scholars  taught,  that  the 
art  of  deceiving  the  multitude  was  beneficial  to  moi<  men  ;  and'  that  thence 
the  task  of  government  was  rendered  mure  easy  and  agreeable  to  rulers. 
The  reason  was,  the  false  principle,  namely,  that  it  was  necessary  to 
invite  all  men  indiscriminately  to  come  to  Christ,  although  the  means  of 
coming  [the  effectual  call]  be  detiied  to  the  greater  part  of  them,— had 
been  reflected  from  the  face  of  the  churcli  v  priesthood  ! 

In  1442,  the  commissioners  of  England,  in  summoning  a  parliament, 
gravely  averrefl  that  it  was  done  by  command  of  the  king;  and  that  the 
affixing  of  the  great  seal  was  his  own  act,  when  yet  it  was  known  through- 


D.  Arl.  3.3    Calvinistic  Decrees  and  Robespierre's.  189 


priesthood,  from  the  love  of  self  and  lust  of  dominion,  adopted 
fdlse  principles,  and  thence  became  polluted  so  that  good  men 
'might  not  touch  their  garments,  then  it  was,  that  civil  institu- 


out  the  kirigHoin  that  the  king  [Henry  VII.]  was  but  lenmonlhs  o\<\,  and 
had  never  ns  yet  uttered  an  articulate  sound!  The  reason  was,  tlie  false 
prin-^iple,  natuuly,  that  there  is  a  secret  s]jecc/i  or  will  of  the  Lord  recog- 
nized l)y  the  c'ergy,  where  nollting  outwardly  is  either  spoken  or  revealed, 
— had  been  abundantly  taught  and  thence  icjiected  from  the  face  of  the 
priesthood  ! 

It  was  conceived  to  be  just  and  righteous,  by  the  parliament  of  Eng- 
]«ind,  in  all  (heir  opposition  to  the  declared  and  revealed  will  of  the  king, 
(Charles  I.]  to  persist  in  declaring  that  in  «// their  actions  and  transactions 
they  were  authorised  by  the  king  himself;  and  in  the  king's  name,  and 
under  color  of  his  aidhority,  not  only  to  lery  war  against  him,  but  at  last 
to  take  him  and  put  liim  to  death!  The  reason  was,  the  false  principle, 
namely,  that  the  f^ord  has  two  wills,  one  secret  iinA  one  revealed;  and  that 
ihc  secret  will  must  be  adhered  to,  rather  than  the  revealed  will, — had  been 
taught  and  thence  ?-e//fc/e6/ from  the  face  of  tlio  priesthood  ! 

Respecting  which,  it  may  larthcr  be  observed,  that  it  was  the  adoption 
of  the  same  principle  by  the  Jewish  priests,  that  caused  them  in  all  their 
eppositiun  against  the  Lord  to  fondly  conceit  tliat  thry  were  acting  in  his 
naine  and  by  his  authoritfi!  Whence,  setting  at  nought  all  the  counsels 
of  his  revculcd  will,  and  following  a  secret  will,  which  they  fondly  conceit- 
ed was  the  will  of  God,  but  which  was  none  other  than  their  own  will, 
they  levied  war  against  heaven,  and  crucified  the  Lord  of  glory.' 

But  again,  Robespierre  caused  a  decree  to  be  passed,  that,  in  all  cases 
when  a  trial  had  lasted  three  days,  (all  of  which  time  ndght  be  taken  up 
by  the  prosecuting  i)arty,)  the  judge  shotdd  then  ask  (he  jury — which, 
under  the  administration  of  Robespierre,  were  always  packed — '■if  they 
were  satiified?'  If  the  jury  said  yes,  (he  trial  shoulil  end,  and  (he  jury 
proceed  to  give  their  verdict,  without  bearing  the  defence  of  the  accused 
party  at  all!  The  reason  of  which  was,  because  the  false  principle, 
namely,  that  the  greater  portion  of  men  are  pre-donmed  to  hell,  by  the 
supposed  decree  (f  election  and  reprobation  passed  in  elernitt/ — passecl  before 
they  were  conceived  or  born;  and  passed  betbre  they  are  arraigned  beibre 
the  seat  of  judgment  to  be  tried,  and  thence  sent  off  to  hell,  ostensibly  for 
their  wickedness  and  guilt,  but  really  in  accordance  with  the  first  inten- 
tion,— hail  been  taught  and  abundantly  reflected  from  the  face  of  the 
priesthood!   (See  the  Constitution  of  the  Associate  Rclbrmed  Church.) 

From  all  which,  and  from  innumerable  other  examples  that  might  be 
adduced  were  it  necessary,  it  becomes  manifest,  that  ail  the  disorders  and 
absurdities  witnessed  and  experienced  in  civil  institutions,  and  which  have 
bruised  and  afflicted  the  human  family  for  ages  and  ages,  are  none  other 
than  the  necessary  effects  of  the  distorted  images  of  Divine  order,  reflected 
from  the  face  of  the  priesthood;  that  is,  from  the  false  principles  wliich 
priests,  from  the  love  of  dominion  over  the  things  of  heaverj,  have  adopted, 
taught,  and  thus  sent  into  the  world.*    Not  only  so,  but  it  becomes  far- 


*  "It  is  a  grand  truth,  that  the  state  of  society  with  any  people  is  the  exact 
embodiment  of  their  prevailing  theological  creeds,  whatever  they  may  be." 
But  "That  the  prevailing  creeds  of  (he  day  ascribe  to  God  an  arbi(rary  and 
vindictive  character,  is  easilj'  demonstrated;  and,  that  man  should  acquire 
just  such  a  character  as  he  attributes  to  his  God,  is  a  necessary  consequence." 
(Sec  Cin.  Daily  Times,  vol.6,  no. 877,  Essaij  on  Government,  by  Jno.  JVhite.) 


140 


Particular  Illustration.  [Chap.  VI. 


tions  fiillowed,  in  which  the  distorted  images  of  Divine  order 
reflected  from  the  priesthood,  were  adopted  and  carried  out 
into  life.  Nay,  that  such  is  really  the  case,  have  we  not  just 
seen,  (n.  126  to  128.)  that  the  priesthood,  adopting  the  false 
principle,  that  the  Divine  is  not  in  all  the  same,  is  followed  by 
the  insliiutions  of  slavery  and  oppression,  as  the  cause  is  fol- 
lowed by  its  necessary  effect? — or,  what  is  virtually  the  same 
thing,  as  Divine  order  shining  on  the  disordered  countenance 
of  the  consummated  church,  as  on  a  broken,  disjointed  and 
warped  mirror,  is  followed  by  a  monstrous  image  thence  cor- 
responding? Whence  it  becomes  manifest,  that  f:dse  principles 
ado))ted  by  the  men  of  the  church  are  by  no  means  confined  to 
the  church — thus,  also,  that  the  questions  respecting  the  Divine 
being  in  all  the  same,  and  respecting  the  subject  of  slavery  and 
oppression,  are  by  no  means  foreigji  to  eacli  oilier;  and,  con- 
sequently, that  in  the  investigation  of  the  subject  of  Particular 
Illustration,  it  is  no  digression  to  dip,  in  some  degree,  within 
the  VERGE  of  the  subject  of  Slavery  and  Oppression. 

131.  What  shall  we  say  then  ?  Verily,  we  say,  that  although 
the  Divine  influx,  may  be  received  differently  by  different  re- 
cipients, yet  it  is  by  no  means  given  differently  ;  but,  as  said 
before,  alike  to  all.  And  not  only  so,  but  that  although  it  is 
received  differently,  yet  there  are  no  externcd  marks  given 
amongst  men,  whether  consisting  of  color,  shape  size,  charac- 
teristic forms  of  the  head  or  countenance,  or  modes  of  thinking 
thence  induced,  by  which  to  distinguish  them  into  different  de- 
grees, classes,  or  castes,  in  such  manner,  that  of  one  person  all 
others  might  say  at  once,  '  He  has  received  the  greater  or  par- 
ticular portion  of  the  Divine  ;  and  is  tiierefore  of  the  first  caste: 
is  tiierefore  a  priest — a  master — an  elect,  chosen,  precious  and 
beloved  person  — and,  of  another  person,  '  he  has  received  only 
the  lesser  or  common  portion  of  the  Divine  ;  and  is  therefore 
only  of  the  second  caste;  is  therefore  only  a  layman — a  slave, 
reprobate,  rejected,  vile  and  hated  person.^ 

It  is  true,  indeed,  that  for  the  sake  of  external  representation, 
it  has  been  given  to  distinguish  men  into  different  grades  or 
castes  ;  yet  it  must  be  carefully  noted  that  it  was  never  given, 


thcr  manifest,  that  by  bringing  up  false  principles  in  juxtaposition  with 
thf>  images  and  disoniers  thence  reflected  ami  resiiltiiij,  as  in  the  exam- 
ples above  adduced,  «  new  and  all-powerful  mode  of  iittackinsj  and  pros- 
truliug  false  principles  presents  itself;  and,  according  to  which,  all  the 
remarkable  transactions  which  have  taken  place  in  the  world,  since  Ihe 
times  of  the  apostles  as  «'eli  ns  befort:,  liave /tappened  us  ensamptcs;  and 
ihcy  are  written  for  our  admonition,  upon  whom  tlie  ends  of  ttie  world  arc 
cime. 


D.  Art.  3.]       Castes  and  Tangible  Tokens, 


141 


that  iliose  claiming  to  be  of  llie  higher  caste,  shoulil.  by  any 
tangible  token  whatever,  be  known  to  receive  or  to  have  receiv- 
ed more  of  the  Divine  than  others,  or  to  be  really  more  holy 
than  olliers.  That  such  is  really  the  case,  becomes  evident 
from  ihe  circumstance  of  the  manna,  (nn)  which  fell  in  the 
camp  of  Israel  a/ike  to  all; — of  which,  '  he  that  gathered  much 
had  nothing  over,  and  he  that  gathered  little  had  no  lack  :' — of 
which,  each  had,  when  measured,  the  same  quantity,  that  is 
an  omer  full;  (see  Ex.,  xvi.  15,  18;)  and,  consequently,  of 
wliich,  neither  Jiaron  nor  his  sons  gathered  or  eat  more  than 
any  of  the  rest  of  the  sons  of  Israel,  much  less  did  they  (although 
they  were  priests,  and  elevated  to  be  of  a  superior  caste  or 
grade)  eat  more  than  all  the  rest  put  together.  Not  only  so, 
but  Aaron  and  his  sons,  equally  with  the  rest  of  Israel,  were 
every  morning  dependent  on  the  goodness  of  the  Lord  for  their 
omer  full  of  manna.  If  Aaron  or  his  sons  had  hid  up  a  supply 
of  tlie  heavenly  food  for  only  two  days,  so  that,  with  their 
modern  successors,  tliey  might  have  alleged,  thai  they  had 
gathered  [received]  a  greater  portion  of  it  than  others,  it  would, 
in  such  case,  only  have  bred  worms  [falsesj  and  stank,  equally 
as  ofTensively  as  did  that  in  the  hands  of  those  who  attempted 
it!  Whence  it  becomes  evident,  that,  to  the  sons  of  Israel,  the 
manna  fell  alike  to  all ;  and  tiiat  all  gathered  alike  and  eat  alike 
of  it.  The  great  difference  between  them  in  relation  to  the 
manna,  seemed  to  lie  in  tiiis,  that  such  of  them  as  had  their 
appetites  set  on  the  fish,  the  onions,  the  leeks  and  the  garlic  of 
Egypt,  did  not  digest  the  heavenly  food,  equally  with  others  ; 
— the  inevitable  result  of  which  was,  all  did  not  receive  from  it 
alike  noitrisliment.  Where  is  boastin;?,  then,  in  relation  to  the 
Divine  influx?  Verily,  it  i» excluded  both  in  relation  Xn priests 
and  people.  By  what  law  ?  Verily,  by  that  w])ich  teaches  us 
all  alike  to  look  to  the  Lord,  daily,  for  our  daily  bread! 

132.  Were  priests,  who  contend  that  the  greater  portion  of 
the  Divine  is  received  by  them,  and  the  lesser  or  none  at  all  by 
laymen,  and,  at  the  same  time,  for  the  spirituality,  dignity, 
honor  and  priority  of  their  caste,  to  happen  to  discover,  that 
amongst  all  the  insane  in  hell,  none  are  more  so  than  those 
there  who  adore  others  as  popes,  vicars,  or  representatives  of 
heaven; — were  they,  by  the  Divine  mercy,  to  get  their  eyes 
opened  to  see  thousands  of  vile  fawning  sycophants  there,  wor- 

In  John,  the  Lord,  in  speaking  of  the  raanna,  said,  '  I  am  the 
bread  [manna]  of  life;*  whence,  raanna,  in  the  supreme  sense,  siernifics 
the  Lord  himself,  (see  6th  chapter,)  and  thenre  the  Divine  influx  of  good 
flowing  from  truth.  The  hidden  manna  signifies  the  influx  of  the  Divine 
love  and  wisdpnj. 


142 


Particular  Illustration.  [Ch&p.  VI. 


shippiiio^  and  adoring  one  whom  they  insanely  call  the  Lord 
God  the  pope — whom  they  insanely  conceive  not  only  to  have 
received  the  greater  measure  of  the  Divine,  but  to  be  the  very 
Divinity  himself, — but  which  divinity,  nevertheless,  while  i« 
this  world,  was  perhaps  only  a  mere  layman  of  the  baser  sort — 
a  piiesl's  valet,  stable-groom,  or  scullion! — were  they  to  see 
the  adorers  and  worshippers  of  this  upstart,  beggar,  pope,  or 
divinity,  there  contending  for  the  honor  o( kissing  his  great  toe, 
and  at  the  same  lime  to  be  told,  that  many  of  them,  while  here 
in  the  body,  were  great  archbishops,  bishops,  and  other  high 
dignitaries  of  the  church,  who  had  successfully  defended  the 
doctrine  oi  supra  illustrution — then,  the  question  is,  would  not 
the  making  of  such  discoveries  produce  emesis  and  loathing 
within  them,  in  relation  to  the  things  above  noticed  as  contended 
for  ?  Would  it  not  cau^e  them  to  cast  the  things  contended  for 
'behind  them,  as  a  mcnstritous  cloth,  saying  get  thee  heneeT 
— 'Every  man  shall  receive  correspondenlly,  in  the  other  life, 
that  which  he  has  done  in  the  body  of  this  life,  whether  it  be 
good  or  evil.' — 'Every  man  shall  receive  the  reward  that  cor- 
responds to  his  own  labor  in  this  life.'  (Compare  2  Cor.  v.  10, 
and  I  Cor.,  iii.  8.)  From  which  it  becomes  evident,  that  a 
clear  discovery  of  the  insane  and  slavish  drudgery  of  the  clergy, 
in  their  dark  caverns  in  the  world  of  spirits,  namely,  of  those 
who  while  in  the  body  lusted  after  dominion  and  pre-eminence 
over  ihe  things  of  the  cluircii,  thus  over  the  things  of  heaven, 
would  lend  mighiily  to  improve  the  sight  of  the  understanding 
of  those  now  in  the  body,  in  relation  to  the  subject  under  con- 
Bider;Uion. 

1.33.  Insanities  are  frequently  the  most  effectual  means  of 
curing  others  correspondent.  Whence,  a  Calvinist,  who  has 
confirmed  in  himself  the  belief,  that  God  has  from  eternitj' 
elected  some  men  to  heaven  without  foiesighl  of  faith  or  good 
ivories,  when  he  reads,  that  no  man  may  lay  any  thing  to  the 
charge  of  God's  elect,  will,  from  the  ground  of  self-love,  look 
at  liimself  as  the  very  man  alluded  to;  and  from  thus  viewing 
himself,  however  guilty  and  polluted  he  may  be,  he  is  ready  to 
say  to  his  more  righteous  neighbor,  stand  back  !  come  not  near! 
J  am  more  holy  than  thou I  was  predestinated  or  elected  to 
be  an  heir  ol  heaven  from  eternity  ! — and,  correspondingly,  a 
priest  who  has  confirmed  in  himself  the  belief,  that  God  lias 
endowed  some  widi  a  greater  measure  of  the  Divine  than  o//jf)S, 
—without  foresight  of,  or  relation  to  hereditary  dispositions, 
ruling  loves,  objects,  ends  or  aims  in  view, — when  he  reads 
that  those,  and  those  alone,  who  read  the  Word  interiorly  are 
illustrated,  will,  like  the  Calvinist,  from  the  ground  of  self-love, 


D.  Art.  3.J       Supra-lapsarianism,  el  cetera. 


143 


very  naturally  look  upon  himself  as  the  very  man  alluded  to ; 
and,  thus  viewing  himself,  however  ignorant  he  may  be  of  the 
interior  contents  of  the  Word,  he  is  ready  also  to  say  to  his 
more  intelligent  neighbor,  stand  back!  come  not  near  1  I  am 
internal  and  spiritual ;  but  you  are  only  external  and  natural ! 
I  was  predestinated  from  boyhood — fiom  birth — from  concep- 
tion— perhaps  from  eternity,  to  be  a  priest;  and  tiierefore  j'or- 
ticularly  and  effectually  illustrated ;  but  you  were  predesiina- 
ted  to  be  a  mere  layman,  therefore  only  commonly  and  ineffect- 
ually illustrated.  This,  he  alleges,  is  all  that  is  necessary  for 
laymen  ;  seeing  that  were  the  case  otherwise,  castes,  grades 
and  distinctions  wotdd  all  he  confounded !  Here,  it  may  be 
seen,  that  by  placing  the  two  insanities  in  juxtaposition,  they 
are  thence  in  the  most  favorable  position, yZrs^  to  illustrate  each 
other  by  means  of  their  various  corresponding  relations,  and 
t/ien  to  prostrate,  neutralize  and  annihilate  each  oilier. 

134.  Again,  a  Supra-lapsarian  and  a  Supra-iilustrationist  both 
contend  virtually  for  the  same  thing,  namely  :  the  Supra-lapsa- 
rian, that  election  is  partial  with  respect  to  the  persons  elected, 
inasmuch  as  all  are  not  alike  elected  ;  and  the  siipra-illuslra- 
lionist,  that  illustration  is  partial  with  respect  to  the  persons 
illustrated,  inasmuch  as  all  are  not  alike  illustrated.  Whence 
it  becomes  manifest,  that  both  insanities  flow  from  the  sarne 
false  principle,  namely,  that  God  is  partial,  that  the  Divine  is 
not  in  all  the  same;  and  that,  from  their  close  relationship, 
they  are  justly  to  be  placed  in  juxtaposition,  so  that  they  may 
both  sta)ul  or  fall  together. 

135.  if  a  class  of  men  should  now  rise  up  in  the  world,  call- 
ing themselves  by  the  name  of  The  Elect,  and  thence  go  about 
to  prove  that  all  the  promises  of  the  gospel  referied  exclusively 
to  them,  and  especially,  those  passages  where  the  elect  are 
mentioned, — and  all  this  from  no  other  ground  than  because 
(from  the  love  of  self  and  lust  of  pre-eminence)  they  had  as- 
sumed that  title, — is  it  necessary  to  tell,  that  such  class,  in  such 
case,  would  not  thereby  manifest  a  single  whit  more  of  insanity 
than  is  daily  manifested  by  that  class  of  men  calling  themselves 
The  Clergy,  who,  for  no  other  reason  under  the  heavens  than 
merely  because  they  have  assumed  thrt  title,  and  because  their 
creatures  have  awarded  it  to  them,  go  about  to  prove,  that  all 
the  fine  things  said  respecting  illustration  must  be  referred  ex- 
clusively to  themselves;  and  especially  where  it  is  said,  that 
•Illustration  is  with  the  clergy  particularly  V 

136.  But,  that  the  illustration  which  is  said  to  be  with  the 
clergy  in  particular,  is  not  designed  for  an  outward  body  or 
society  of  men  calling  themselves  The  Clergy,  any  more  than 


144 


Particular  Illustration. 


[Chap.  VI. 


salvation,  wliicli  is  said  to  be  specially  and  particularly  for  the 
elect,  is  designed  for  an  outward  or  distinctive  body  of  men 
calling  themselves  The  Elect,  is  manifest  from  this,  that  the 
Divine  influx,  whence  is  illustration,  is  precisely  the  same  in 
the  mind  of  every  man,  of  whatever  class,  caste,  or  grade  of 
distinction  he  may  be, — and  consequently,  that  the  cause  whence 
it  becomes  particular  with  any  man  is  from  the  man's  own 
particular  rERCEPxiox  and  disposition  in  regard  to  it.  Nay, 
that  such  is  really  the  case,  is  manifest  from  this,  that  without 
perception  and  disposition  in  man,  illustration  with  him  could 
neither  be  general  nor  particular.  Whence,  reducing  the  ar- 
gument respecting  the  particular  illustiation  of  the  clergy  into 
the  syllogistic  form,  it  stands  thus: 

Illusiration  is  particular  with  every  man  from  particular 
perception  and  disposition  ; 

But,  illustration  is  particular  with  the  clergy,  and  none 
others ; 

Therefore,  every  man  with  whom  illustration  is  particular 
from  particular  perception  and  disposition,  is  a  clergyman,  (oo) 

And,  placing  the  argument  respecting  the  particular  salvation 
of  the  elect  in  juxtaposition,  it  stands  thus  : 

Salvation  is  particular  with  every  man  from  his  particular 
reception  and  reciprocation  of  the  Divine  influx  ; 

But  salvation  is  particularly  for  the  elect,  and  none  otheis; 

Therefore,  every  man  with  whom  salvation  is  particular 
from  particular  reception  and  reciprocation,  is  an  elect  person, 
chosen  of  God,  and  precious. 

What  then  shall  we  conclude  respecting  a  class  of  men  call- 
ing themselves  by  the  title  of  The  Clergy,  who  would  thence 
monopolize  particular  illustration  to  themselves?  Shall  we 
not  conclude  respecting  them  similarly  as  we  would  respect- 
ing a  class  of  men  who  should  call  themselves  by  the  name  of 
TVie  Elect,  and  who  sliould  thence  go  about  to  monopolize 
salvation  all  to  themselves  ? 


(oo)  'Flint  the  truth  of  this  conclusion  rests  on  niathematica}  certaintj', 
may  bo  seen  thus : 

In  tlie  first  premise,  let  I  represent  illustration,  E  M  every  man,  and 
P  P  particular  perception; — and,  in  the  scconil  premise,  let  I  represent 
illustration,  as  before,  and  C  the  clergy; — then  it  will  be, 
E  M  -I-  P  P  =  I ; 
But  C  =  I; 

Therefore,  because  things  equal  to  the  same  thing  are  equal  to  one  an- 
other,  it  follows,  that 

E  M  -1-  P  P  =  C. 
ThHt  is,  E  M,  every  man,  with  whom  is  the  ndscitilious  circumstance 
of  P  P,  particular  perception,  etc.,  istqual  to  C,  a  clergyman. — Q.  E.  D. 


D.  Art.  3.] 


Powers  and  Prerogatives. 


145 


137.  We  are  taught,  (U.  T.,  155,)  that  perception  is  with 
mail  according  to  llie  siate  of  his  mind  formed  by  docirinals. 
And,  respecting  wliich,  it  is  asked,  does  not  every  man  i^now 
thai  docirinals  in  the  minds  of  men  are  various  ?  Wilh  some, 
particular;  with  olifers,  less  i)arlicular ;  and  wilh  others,  quite 
general  ?  Whence  it  follows,  that  perception  in  men  must  ne- 
cessarily be  correspondentiy  various;  and,  consequently,  in  the 
true  clergy,  (by  whom  are  not  meant  members  of  that  body 
who  claim  to  be  called  by  the  distinctive  name  7/te  Clergy,  but) 
who  study  the  Word  interiorly,  perception,  of  necessity,  be- 
comes particular.  And  consistently  with  this,  we  are  farther 
taught,  that  wlien  the  docirinals  from  studying  the  Word  inte- 
riorly are  true,  the  perception  becomes  clear  from  the  light 
tohich  illustrates.  Not  only  so,  but  that  illustration,  which  is 
from  the  Lord,  is  turned  into  various  lights  with  every  one  ac- 
cording to  his  disposition  or  the  state  of  his  mind.  But,  to 
conclude  the  subject  of  illustration,  it  only  remains  to  observe, 
that  the  angelic  idea  of  the  Lord's  omnipresence,  namely,  that 
the  Divine  is  in  all  the  samt,  becomes  in  the  hands  of  New- 
churchmen  'i^new  shsiTp  threshing  instrument  wherewiih  to 
beat  the  hills  into  chaff,  so  that  the  whirlwind  may  carry  them 
away.'  (Isaiah,  xli.  15,  16.)  For  more  on  the  subject  of  Illus- 
tration»  see  U.  T.,  231,  364.  621,  746;  A.  R.,  398,  414;  A.  C, 
9382,  10105;  Ap.  Ex.,  1177;  A.  W„  150,  and  many  other 
places. 


CHAPTER  VIL 

(Note  D. — Article  III.) 

Li  relation  to  the  powers  and  prerogatives  of  the  clergy  to 
ride  and  teach,  claimed  to  he  immediately  from  on  high 
independent  of  the  laity. 

138.  Tyrants  and  despots,  civil  and  ecclesiastical,  have  for 
ages  and  ages  claimed  their  usurped,  unhallowed  and  unholy 
power  and  authority,  under  which  the  people  groaned,  to  be 
from  on  high,  independent  of  the  people  themselves.  The 
efflux  arising  from  tlie  clergy — (lowing  from  the  false  principles 
which  they  from  the  lust  of  domination  had  imliibed — as  refer- 
ed  to  civil  government,  soon  became  fixed  in  images  of  thought 
of  the  following  import,  namely:  '  That,  as  no  man  might  ques- 
tion what  God  may  or  may  not  do,  so,  no  man  may  question 
what  kings  may  or  may  not  do,  whom  he  hath  ordained ;'  '  that 

13 


146 


Powers  and  Prerogatives. 


[Chap.  vn. 


magistrates,  kings  and  emperors  are  ihe  powers  vliich  God  has 
ordained  independently  of  the  people;'  (see  Rollin,  vol.  2,  p. 
194;)  and  thus  essentially,  'that  alihough  the  people  may  pe- 
tition the  throne,  yet,  from  divine  right,  the  king  may  veto  or 
approve  the  thing  prayed  for,  according  to  tlie  good  pleasure  of 
the  coimcil  of  lus  own  will;^  and  'that  the  golden  chain  of 
divine  right,  although  apparently  extended  to  the  people,  in  the 
form  of  a  nominating  and  recommending  power,  must  never- 
theless be  kept  at  all  times  within  the  grasp  and  control  of  the 
powers  that  be ;  otherwise  it  might  be  seized  by  the  people, 
who,  from  the  madness  of  insanity,  might  thence  presume  to 
rule  themselves,  independently  of  \\\e  powers  ordained  of  God.' 
(Compare  Precursor,  vol.  2,  p.  307.    See  n.  128,  note  //.) 

But  the  same  efflux,  as  referred  to  ecclesiastical  government, 
soon  became  fixed  in  images  of  thought  of  the  following  import, 
namely:  'That  the  Lord,  on  whose  shoulders  the  govemment 
of  his  church  and  kingdom  is  placed,  hath,  nevertheless,  placed 
the  same  on  the  shoulders  of  his  officers  the  clergy;  and  that 
he  hath  accordingly  put  the  ke^^s  thereof  into  their  hands,  so 
that  they  may  let  in  and  out  whom  they  may  see  fit,'  accoriling 
to  the  good  pleasure  of  the  council  of  their  o0n  u  ill.  (See 
Confession  of  Faith,  Edinburgh  edition.)  'That  the  power 
and  authority  of  the  clergy  to  perform  executive  duties' — thus 
to  dominate,  if  they  are  so  disposed — '  are  received  immediately 
from  the  Lord;  and  not  through  the  medium  of  the  people 
(compare  Precursor,  vol.  2,  p.  10,  and  vol.  3,  p.  138  ;)  and  that 
'neither  the  power  of  the  apostles  to  preach  the  gospel,  nor  the 
liberty  to  exercise  it,  was  from  the  people.'  (Compare  Precur- 
sor, vol.  3,  p.  72,  second  column.)  Such  then  are  a  specimen 
of  the  images  of  thouglit — thai  is,  the  distorted  images  of  Di- 
vine order — reflected  from  the  face  of  a  priesthood  corrupted 
and  disordered  by  tiie  adoption  of  false  principles. 

139.  But  here  a  question  of  importance  arises,  namely: 
how  shall  it  be  best  demonstrated,  that  the  images  of  thought, 
noticed  in  the  last  number,  are  none  other  than  distorted  images 
of  Divine  order  reflected  from  the  disordered  mirror  of  a  cor- 
rupt priesthood  ?  And  let  it  be  answered,  that  the  best  method 
must  needs  consist  in  comparing  them  with  some  of  the  images 
of  thought  transmitted  to  us  from  the  first  ministers  of  the 
Christian  church.  As,  for  example,  from  the  great  apostle  of 
the  Gentiles,  whom  none  will  dare  to  accuse  of  being  icarped 
or  disordered  by  means  of  the  lust  of  wealth  or  dominion,  or 
otherwise  rendered  unfit  to  reflect  the  true  image  of  Divine 
order  its^elf.  Such  being  the  rase,  we  find  him  saying,  (2  Cor. 
i.  11,)  'Ye  also  helping  together  by  prayer  for  us,  that,  for  the 


D.  Art.  3.]     Power  of  the  Aposlles — JVhence. 


147 


gift  beslotved  vpon  us  hy  means  of  many  persons,  thanks  may 
be  given  by  many  on  our  behalf.'  Again,  (iv.  15,)  'All  things 
are  for  your  sakes,  that  ihe  abundant  grace  might,  through  the 
thanksgiving  [[acknowledgment]  of  many,  redound  to  the 
glory  of  Ciod.'  And  again,  (xiii.  4,)  'For  we  also  are  weak  in 
him,  but  we  shall  live  with  him  by  the  power  of  God  towards 
you.'  And  yet  again,  (i.  13,)  'We  write  none  other  things 
unto  you  than  what  you  read  or  acknowledge  — .'  (Verse  24,) 
'  We  have  not  dominion  over  your  faith  ; — for  by  faith  you 
stand.'  Respecting  the  passages  adduced,  it  is  perfectly  just  to 
conceive  the  apostle  reasoning  thus  : — We,  who  are  of  the 
clergy,  shall  live  witli  Christ  by  the  power  of  God  towards  you 
who  are  the  laity.  Nay,  our  power  to  live  with  Christ,  that  is, 
to  teach  after  liis  example,  is  derived  through  you,  from  the 
power  of ,  God  towards  you.  Whence  it  is,  that  we  have  no 
power  to  enforce  things  upon  you,  which  you  have  neither  read 
nor  acknowledged ;  and,  consequently,  can  have  no  dominion 
over  your  faith.  Na)-,  farther,  because  our  power  and  authority 
is  derived  through  you,  from  the  power  of  God  towards  you, 
we  never  can  use  it  executively,  seeing  this  might,  in  many 
cases,  tend  to  your  destruction ;  but,  contrariwise,  for  your 
edification  and  salvation. 

140.  But  tliat  the  apostles  derived  their  power  and  authority 
to  teach  and  preach  to  the  people,  through  the  medium  of  the 
people  themselves,  appears  from  this,  that  those  who  would  have 
put  Peter  and  John  to  death,  and  thus  would  have  put  an  end 
to  the  exercise  of  iheir  power,  however  derived, — nevertheless, 
so  feared  the  people,  that  they  only  threatened  them  and  let 
them  go.  (Acts,  iv.  16,  17,  18,  21.)  Why  did  those  rulers  fear 
the  power  of  the  people^  but  because  it  was  the  power  of  God 
towards  them,  and  ihence  in  them,  causing  them  to  bid  the 
apostles  God  speed,  and  thus  virtually  licensing  and  ordaining 
them  to  preach?  From  which  it  may  be  seen  still  plainer, 
why  it  was,  that  Paul  virtually  said,  (see  the  preceding  number,) 
that  the  apostles  had  power  to  preach  the  gospel,  Qive  with 
Christ,]  by  the  power  of  God  towards  the  people. 

141.  From  Acts,  iii.  28,  we  learn,  that  when  the  chief  cap- 
tain and  oflicers  would  gladly  have  put  the  apostles  to  death,  they, 
nevertheless,  brought  them  out  of  the  temple  without  violence, 
otherwise  they  feared  that  the  people  would  have  stoned  them 
to  death.  Nay,  so  exceedingly  did  they  fear  the  power  of 
God  in  ultimates,  and  through  whom  the  apostles  were  clothed 
with  power  to  preach,  that  they  addressed  the  apostles  in  a 
pitiful  and  expostulatory  tone,  virtually  saying,  'Did  we  not 
Btraitly  charge  you,  that  you  should  teach  no  more  in  that 


148 


Powers  and  Prerogatives.         [Chap.  VII. 


name  ?'  But,  instead  of  hearkening  to  us,  '  you  have  filled  all 
Jerusalem  with  your  doctrine,  as  though  you  intended  lo  bring 
this  man's  blood  upon  us  J' 

142.  If  the  power,  authority  and  influence  to  teach  the  laity 
be  from  on  high,  independently  of  the  people  or  laity  them- 
selves, and  not  as  the  apostle  teaches, — ihat  is,  mediately  by 
the  power  of  God  towards  or  through  the  laity, — and  if  the 
liberty  of  exercising  such  power  and  authoriiy,  in  like  manner, 
be  independent  of  the  people  or  laity,  and  not  as  common  per- 
ception or  sense  would  dictate — that  is,  derived  from  the  people 
themselves,  as  of  themselves,  from  the  Lord — then,  it  is  asked, 
why  it  was,  that  Paul  so  far  forgot  himself,  and  the  power  and 
authority  of  which  he  (according  to  the  supposition)  was  pos- 
sessed, as  also  the  liberty  to  exercise  it,  as  to  beseech  the  chief 
captain  to  give  him  liberty  or  license  to  speak  and  preach  to 
the  people  ?  (See  Acts,  xxi.  37,  40.)  Nay,  we  should  like  to 
know  why  it  was,  that  when  at  Rome,  Paul  waited  for  the  de- 
sire of  the  Jews,  who  were  living  there,  to  hear  him  ;  and  for 
their  appointed  time  to  come  to  his  lodging  for  that  purpose? 
(Acts,  xxviii.  22,  23.)  From  all  which  it  becomes  manifest, 
that  from  neither  the  teachings  nor  transactions  of  the  apostles, 
are  images  of  thought  reflected  indicative  of  their  power  and 
authority  to  teach,  much  less  to  rule  and  dominate,  being  im- 
mediately from  on  high,  independent  of  the  laity  ;  but,  t  ontra- 
riwise,  that  their  power,  authority  and  influence  to  teach  or 
preach,  reign  or  rule,  so  far  at  least  as  external  speech  and  ac- 
tion were  concerned,  were  derived  immediately  from  the  people, 
that  is,  mediately  Uom  the  power  of  God  towards,  in,  or  through 
the  people. 

143.  But  those  high-Jlying  insanities  respecting  influence, 
power  and  authority  to  govern,  rule,  teach  and  preach,  as  being 
given  to  the  clergy,  immediately  from  the  Lord,  and  not 
mediately  from  the  power  of  God  in,  by,  and  through  the 
laity,  are  forever  prostrated  in  the  dust,  when  we  properly 
discover,  that  the  operation  of  the  Divine  influx,  or,  what  is 
the  same  thing,  the  illustration  or  unction  of  the  Holy  Spirit, 
in  diff'erent  men,  results  in  the  ditferetU  gifts  of  prophecy, 

 that  is,  in  ministering,  teaching,  exhorting,  imparting, 

ruling,  etc.,  (see  1  Cor.,  chap.  xii.  throughout.) — according  to 
the  quality  of  the  love  of  each  respectively,  and  the  object  thence 
he  may  have  in  view.  When  The  church  clearly  discovers,  that 
there  are  as  many  diflerences  of  administrations  from  the  same 
Lord,  as  there  are  members  of  his  body,  (verse  5,) — that  there 
are  diversities  of  operations,  but  the  same  God  working  all  in 
all,  (verse  6.) — that  with  one  member,  the  operation  results  in 
the  word  of  wisdom;  with  another,  in  the  word  of  knoivledge; 


D.  Art.  3.]        Different  Images  Reflected. 


149 


(ver.  8;)  another,  in  faith;  another,  in  prophecy;  another,  in 
discerning  of  spirits,  ([not  with  the  natural  eyes,]  and  with  an- 
other, in  the  interpretation  of  tongues;  (ver.  9,  10;)  and,  in  a 
word,  that  n  manifestation  of  the  spirit  is  given  to  every  mem- 
ber of  the  church  whereby  to  be  of  use  or  profit  to  the  ivhole; 
(v.  7;)  namely:  when  the  cliurch  clearly  discovers  these  things, 
— where  then,  let  it  be  asked,  shall  those  strangers  appear,  who 
call  themselves  by  the  name  of '  The  Clergy,'  and  who  boast, 
that  their  gift,  which  they  claim  to  be  the  gift  of  faith,  is  supe- 
rior to  all  others  put  together?    Where  then  shall  those  stran- 
gers of  the  priesthood  hide,  who  now  are  not  ashamed  to  boast, 
that  they  are  invested  with  power  and  authority  immediaiely 
from  on  high,  independently  of  the  rest  of  the  members  of  the 
church,  not  only  to  teach  faith,  but  to  rule,  whether  by  means 
of  ecclesiastical  laws  of  tlieir  own  prescribing,  or  otherwise,  so 
that  the  understanding  of  the  men  of  the  church,  and  all  the  gifts 
thence  manifested,  might  be  brought  under  obedience  to  the 
faiih — the  faith  of  the  priesthood?    Where  then  shall  those 
would-be  successors  of  Aaron  hide,  who  not  only  long  for  such 
robes  as  he  wore,  and  for  the  tythes  and  honors  awarded  to  him, 
but  withal,  boast  and  claim  that  every  gift  belonging  to  tlie  men 
of  the  church  must  be  relinquished  by  a  formal  act — that  is, 
formally  thrown  down,  so  that  they  may  all  be  swalloived  up 
in  the  priestly  gift     faith,  even  as  were  the  rods  of  the  magi- 
cians swallowed  up  by  the  rod  of  Aaron!    Who  knows  not, 
that  priests  conceive  of  the  diversity  of  gifts  given  to  the  men 
of  the  church,  as  of  things  corresponding  only  to  the  rods  of 
the  magicians,  which  were  all  swallowed  up  by  the  rod  of 
Aaron?    Who  knows  not,  that  the  priest  who  teaches,  that 
laymen  should  cause  their  preconceived  opinions  to  submit  to 
clerical  authority,  does  nothing  less  than  claim,  that  the  gift  of 
God  in  laymen  should  be  swallowed  up  and  lost  forever  in 
that  of  their  priests?    (Compare  Precursor,  vol.  2,  p.  10  ) 

144.  In  Rom.,  xii.,  the  apostle  Paul-  teaches,  that  amongst 
the  members  of  Christ's  body,  none  should  think  highly,  but 
that  they  all  should  think  sobriety,  that  is,  cultivate  equality, 
(ver.  3,)  inasmuch  as  they  were  all  members  one  of  another; 
(ver.  5;)  and  therefore,  also,  that  instead  of  one  thinking  highly, 
and  thence  exalting  himself  above  his  fellow  members,  all 
should  strive  to  prefer  one  another  in  honor,  (ver.  10.)  Nay, 
he  farther  exhorts  tliem  to  be  of  the  same  mind  one  towards 
another,  and  not  to  mind  high  things,  that  is,  not  to  respect 
worldly  dignities  or  honors,  nor  those  who  looked  after  such 
things,  but,  contrariwise,  to  condescend  to  men  of  low  estate, 
that  is,  to  men  destitute  of  the  honor  and  worldly  dignity  that 

13* 


150 


Powers  and  Prerogatives.         [Chap.  VII. 


comes  one  of  another.  (V,  16.)  But  how  different  is  the  pic- 
ture or  image  of  Divine  order,  thus  reflected  from  the  apostle, 
from  the  distorted  and  monstrous  images  reflected  from  the 
priesthood  of  these  days,  in  relation  to  the  same  subject?  (See 
11.  138.)  As  touching  the  former,  are  we  not  leady  to  exclaim, 
with  David,  '  Behold  how  good  and  pleasant  a  thing  it  is  for 
brethren  to  dwell  together  in  unity  V  And,  with  Jacob,  '  Surely 
it  is  none  other  than  the  house  of  God  and  the  gale  of  heaven  !' 
But,  as  touching  the  latter  image,  are  we  not  ready  to  exclaim, 
with  the  same  patriarch,  '  Cursed  be  their  anger,  for  it  is  fierce; 
and  their  wrath,  for  it  is  cruel !'  '  O  my  soul,  come  not  thou 
into  their  secret ;  unto  their  assembly  mine  honor  be  not  thou 
united  !'    (See  Gen.,  xlix.  6,  7.) 

145.  In  1  Cor.,  iii.,  the  same  apostle  teaches,  that  no  man 
should  glory  in  men,  (ver.  21,)  who  are  at  best  but  witnesses 
[ministers]  of  the  Loid  and  of  the  things  of  heaven.  (Ver.  5.) 
Nay,  that  let  his  outward  distinction  be  what  it  may,  no  man 
sTiould  be  glorified  in  the  presence  of  the  Lord  (i.  29,)  to  whom 
ALL  glory  [praise,  thanks,  etc.]  belongs ; — who  alone  is  made 
unto  us  wisdom,  righteousness  and  redemption;  (ver.  30;)  and 
who  knows  the  thoughts  of  the  wise  that  they  are  vain.  (iii.  20.) 
Here  the  aposile,  by  insisting  that  no  man  should  glory  in  men, 
does  nothing  less  than  teach,  that  no  man  ought  to  rejoice  in, 
and  thence  rest  satisfied  with  the  wisdom,  truth  or  light  [glory] 
reflerted  from  men; — nay,  even  were  it  that  reflected  from  the 
apostles  themselves ;  seeing  that  thus  g-Zoriy^i/?^  men  resulted 
in  strife,  rivalry  and  divisions, — thence  in  causing  the  men  of 
the  church  so  far  to  forget  their  dignity  as  to  say,  I  am  Paul's, 
I  am  Apollos',  etc.,  (ver.  4.) — whereas,  maintaining  their  dig- 
nity, tliat  not  only  Paul,  Apollos  and  Cephas  were  theirs,  their 
servants,  but  also,  that  the  world,  life,  death,  heaven  here,  and 
heaven  hereafter — all  were  theirs  ;  and  they  ivere  the  Lord''s. 

In  the  image  of  Divine  order,  thus  reflected  by  the  apostle, 
we  see  notiiing  indicative  of  the  government  of  the  churcii  being 
laid  on  his  shoulders,  nor  of  the  keys  of  the  kingdom  of  heaven 
in  his  hand,  to  let  in  and  out  whomsoever  he  would  according 
to  the  council  of  his  own  will ; — nothing  indicative  of  power 
and  authority  from  on  high  to  perform  executive  duties,  inde- 
pendently of  the  people; — nothing  indicative  of  a  desire,  that 
the  men  of  the  church  should  award  authority,  influence  and 
power  to  him  as  of  right  appertaining  to  his  office;  (see  Pre- 
cursor, vol.  2,  p.  10,  first  column;) — nor  even  of  a  willingness 
that  the  men  of  the  church  should  render  to  him  either  mortal 
or  immortal  thanks,  so  as  thence  to  be  glorified !  (See  Precur- 
sor, vol.  2,  p.  355,  first  column.)    But  instead  of  any  or  all  of 


D.  Art.  3.]       Comparison,  Illustration,  etc. 


151 


such  disorders,  precisely  the  reverse  is  that  which  is  reJlecteX 
from  the  apostle,  as  the  image  of  Divine  order. 

146.  In  1  Cor.,  iv.,  Paul  teaciies,  tlmt  by  looking  at  the 
apostles,  the  men  of  the  ciiurch  might  '  learn  not  to  think  above 
or  beyond  tvhat  is  tvritten,  nor  to  piijf  themselves  up  ; — espe- 
cially seeing,  that  he  who  either  pi{ff's  himself  up,  or  is  pujfed 
up  by  his  creatures,  straiglitway  becomes  set  against  another, 
whence  comes  strife  and  division  ;  (ver.  6;)  and  that  the  radi' 
unre  which  distinguishes  one  from  another,  is  not  inherent,  but 
only  adjoined,  so  that  no  man  has  radiance  [glory]  whereof  to 
boast  or  be  puffed  up.^  (Ver.  7.)  Not  only  so,  but  he  farther 
teaches  virtually,  that  the  eye  cannot  say  to  the  hand,  'my  use 
is  superior  to  thine,' or 'my  gift  includes  yours;  therefore, 
there  is  no  need  oj  you.'  Nay,  fartlier,  the  head  cannot  say 
to  the  feet,  '  my  gift  having  swallotved  up  yours,  there  is  there- 
fore no  longer  need  for  you.'  But  farther  yet — that  the  mem- 
bers which  seem  to  be  more  feeble  are  not  the  less  necessary, 
by  any  means;  inasmuch  as  the  members  which  might  be  sup- 
posed to  be  less  honorable,  receive  the  7nost  honor,  and  the 
parts  which  are  supposed  to  be  the  least  comely,  we  deck  and 
adorn  with  the  greatest  care;  and,  upon  the  whole,  that  God 
has  so  tempered  the  body  of  the  church,  that  there  might  be  no 
schism;  but  that  the  members  should  have  the  same  care  one 
for  another  ;  and,  consequently,  esteem  the  use  of  each  particu- 
lar member,  to  whatever  organ  of  the  natural  body  he  might 
correspond,  alike  necessary  to  the  good  of  the  whole.  (See  1 
Cor.,  xii.,  19  to  25.) 

In  the  im;ige  of  Divine  order  thus  reflected  from  tlie  apostles, 
there  is  nothing  indicative  of  authority  from  on  high  independ- 
ent of  the  people  to  perform  executive  duties — to  teach  or 
preach — to  reign  or  rule  ; — but  the  reverse  ;  for,  saith  he,  '  be 
NOT  PUFFED  UP ;  FOR  ONE  [;will  then  be  set"}  against  another.' 
Nay,  from  the  things  adduced,  there  is  nothing  indicative  of  a 
desire  to  be  glorified  or  exalted,  or  even  to  be  esteemed  supe- 
rior to  his  fellow  members;  but  precisely  the  reverse;  for, 
saith  he,  '  No  man  hath  whereof  to  boast  or  glory  ;' — '  our  un- 
comely parts  [members]  receive  more  abundant  comeliness ;' 
—^(he  members  should  have  the  same  care  one  for  another,^ 
etc'  This  is  the  language  of  the  great  apostle  of  the  Gentiles, 
in  reference  to  the  subject  of  clerical  power  and  prerogative. 

147.  In  Eph.,  iv.,  Paul  teaches,  that  it  is  from  the  head 
[Christ]  that  the  whole  body — fitly  joined  together,  and  com- 
pacted by  that  which  every  member  supplieth,  according  to  the 
effectual  working  of  the  head  in  the  measure  of  every  member — 
maketh  increase  of  the  body  unto  the  edifying  of  itself  in  love. 


152 


Powers  and  Prerogatives.        [Chap.  VII. 


In  this  condensed  and  heavenly  image  of  Divine  order,  exhibit- 
ed by  ihe  aposile,  there  is  nothing  indicative  of  power,  influence 
or  auihority,  as  being  given,  immediatelyyrom  the  head,  lo  ihe 
clerical  member,  (whichever  member  it  may  be,)  independently 
of  ihe  rest  of  the  members,  whereby  that  member  might  become 
as  a  head  and  centre  of  influx  to  all  the  rest, — thence  to  reign 
and  rule  over  them;  and  thence  to  perform  executive  duties — 
thai  is,  to  see  that  its  oion  will  is  executed  and  strictly  obeyed 
in  all  ii>e  rest  of  the  members, — but  precisely  the  reverse. 
Mark,  reader!    The  whole  body  is  tidy  held  together  and  com- 
pacted by  that  which  every  joint  [member]  supplieth.  (not 
according  to  the  domination  of  a  supposed  clerical  head  in  the 
same  body,  but)  according  to  the  effectual  working  of  the  true 
HEAD  [Christ]  in  the  measure  of  everij  member.    This  image 
of  Divine  order,  then,  is  doubtless  one  of  the  things  which  Peter 
said  was  hard  to  be  understood ;  and  which  the  ignorant  and 
unstable  distorted  [icrested']  to  their  own  deslruciion.  Nay, 
that  such  is  really  the  case,  may  be  seen  from  this,  that  from 
not  understanding  it,  or,  what  is  the  same  thing,  from  discover- 
ing, that  in  accordance  with  the  way  the  apostle  has  exhibited 
it,  no  place  is  found  in  it  for  a  priesthood  in  succession,  clothed 
with  power  and  authority  from  on  high  to  perform  executive 
duties,  and  thence  to  reign  and  rule  over  the  church,  it  resulted, 
that  ihe  clergy  of  the  different  sects  of  the  consummated  church 
WRESTED  it,  until  it  became  a  distorted  image — adapted  lo  the 
false  principles  which  .from  the  lust  of  pre-eminence  they  had 
imbibed  and  embraced.    As,  for  examples,  1st.  The  Catholic 
hierarchy  distort  the  passage  in  question  into  an  image  of 
thought  which  may  justly  be  expressed  as  follows:  '  It  is  from 
the  head  in  a  single  unity,  [the  pope,]  that  the  whole  body  of 
the  clergy, — filly  joined  together  by  that  which  every  member 
supplieth,  according  to  the  effectual  rule  and  workings  thence 
of  the  head  the  centre  of  influx,  in  the  measure  of  every  mem- 
ber, becomes  an  increased  and  dignified  body,  clothed  with 

power  immediately  from  on  high  to  edify  the  laity,  by  means 
of  ecclesiastical  laws,  and  thence  also  to  reign  and  rule  over 
them.  2d.  The  Church  of  England  hierarchy,  inulatis  mu- 
tandis, as  follows:  'It  is  from  ihe  head  in  a  single  unity,  [the 
kin'i-,  wlio  is  the  supreme  head  of  the  Church  of  England,] 
tharihe  whole  body  of  the  clergy, — filly  framed,'  etc.  (as  before.) 
3d.  The  Methodistic  clergy,  mutatis  inutandis  as  follows : 
*It  is  from  the  head  in  a  combined  unity,  [that  is,  their  six 
bishops,  and  their  general  conference,  which  may  be  said  not 
only  to  make  up  the  number  of  seven  heads,  but  also  to  deck 
them  off  wiih  ten  horns,]  that  the  whole  body  of  the  clergy, 


D.  Art.  3.] 


Different  Centres  of  Injlux. 


153 


fitly  framed,' etc.,  (as  before.)  4ih.  T\\%  Shaker  zXcxgy^muta- 
tis  7niitu7i(lis,  as  follows  :  '  It  is  froin  the  liead  in  a  single  unity, 
[Anil  Lee,]  iliai  the  whole  body  of  tiie  clergy,'  etc.,  (as  before.) 
5th.  The  Culvinislic  clergij,  mutatis  mutandis,  as  follows  : 
*It  is  from  the  head  [the  synodj  that  the  whole,'  etc.,  (as  before.) 
To  which  add,  6ih.  Thai  some  of  ihe  clergy,  claiming  to  be  of 
the  New  Church,  having  set  their  face  towards  mystery  Baby- 
lon, the  mother  of  harlots,  and  thence  longing  for  a  sip  of  the 
ivine  of  the  cup  in  her  hand,  '  of  which  the  nations  are  drunken 
and  are  mad,'  have  thus  felt  the  ivant  of,  and  have  therefore 
longed  for  the  establishment  of  a  general  synod  or  assembly, 
composed  of  delegated  ecclesiastics,  clothed  with  legislative 
powers,  to  prescribe  and  establish  general  laws  of  order  for  the 
church;  (see  Precursor,  vol,  2,  p.  356,  firft  column;)  which 
should  be  the  central  point,  and  the  orderly  medium  of  influx 
to  the  entire  church ;  which  should  be  as  a  central  sun,  sus- 
taining the  church,  and  binding  the  ivhole  into  one  body ! 
(See  Precursor,  vol.  3,  pp.  22,  26.)  AVhence  it  becomes  man- 
ifest, that  such  of  the  clergy  as  feel  the  ivant  of  such  things, 
and  long  for  their  establishment,  mu^t  of  necessity  strike  hands 
with,  and  justify  those  of  the  different  sects  above  noticed  ; 
and  in  unison  with  them,  mutatis  mutandis,  read  the  apostol- 
ical passage  in  question  as  follows:  'It  is  from  the  head  in  a 
combined  unity,  [a  general  synod  or  assembly  of  ecclesiastics,] 
that  the  whole  body  of  the  clergy — filly  joined  together,'  etc., 
(as  before  in  art.  1.)  Finally,  let  it  also  be  added,  7th.  That 
there  are  others  of  the  clergy  who  claim  to  be  of  the  New 
Church,  who  having,  as  it  would  appear,  not  only  set  their  face 
towards  Mystery  Babylon,  but  also  'drunken  deep  of  her  cup 
of  which  the  nations  have  drunken  and  are  mad,'  have  thence 
not  only  felt  the  ivant  of,  but  have  also  longed,  ivith  groanings 
that  cannot  be  uttered,  after  an  outward  consecrated  head,  to 
be  called  archbishop,  general  bishop,  or  POPE,  under  whose 
care  to  place  the  different  orders  of  the  clergy  in  due  subordina- 
tion, and  through  these  to  rule  and  reign  over  the  entire  church  ; 
and  who  thence  have  longed  with  unutterable  groanings  for 
external  governors  in  the  church,  with  all  the  parapharnalia 
of  dignities,  degrees,  titles  of  blasphemy,  and  subordination 
thence;  (see  the  Boston  Magazine,  of  1842,  pp.  350,  354;) 
and,  at  the  same  time,  for  the  clothing  and  ornamenting  of  the 
clergy  in  flowing  robes,  as  were  priests  before  them,  whether 
Jeivish  or  Egyptian,  Papal  or  Pagan.  (Ibid.,  pp.  334  to  337. 
Compare  with  n.  48,  art.  15,  16.)  And,  respecting  such,  it  is 
manifest,  that  they  must  of  necessity  strike  hands  with,  and 
Justify  the  clergy  of  the  different  sects  above  noticed  ;  espe- 


Powers  and  Prerogatives,         [Chap.  VII. 


cially  those  of  the  Papal  church,  and  thence  in  vnison  with 
them,  verbatim  et  literatim,  read  the  apostolical  passage  in 
question  as  follows:  'It  is  from  the  head,  in  a  single  unity, 
[an  archbishop,  general  bishop,  or  pope,  to  be  conceived  of  as 
a  central  sun  or  centre  of  influx,^  that  tlie  whole  body  of  the 
clergy — fiily  joined  together,'  etc.,  (as  before,  see  above,  art.  1.) 

148.  But,  placing  the  image  of  Divine  order  reflected  from 
Paul,  and  the  distorted  image  reflected  by  the  clergy  (taken  in 
the  complex)  in  juxtaposition,  to  the  end  that  each  may  be  more 
perfectly  illustrated  by  their  opposite  relations,  and  thence  that 
the  latter  may  fall  before  the  former,  as  did  Dagon  before  the 
ark,  it  will  be  as  follows  :  1st.  That  from  the  apostle  is  sub- 
stantially this :  '  It  is  from  the  head,  who,  in  a  single  iiniti/,  is 
the  Lord,  the  God  of  heaven  and  earth — the  great  High  Priest 
after  the  order  of  Melchisedek,  and  whose  priesthood  'passes 
not  from  one  to  another''  by  descent  or  succession — that  the 
whole  body  of  the  church,  fitly  joined  together  by  thai  which 
every  member  of  the  body  supplieth,  according  to  the  effectual 
reception  of  the  Divine  influx,  and  ivorking  thence  of  the  Head 
— the  central  Sun — tlie  Centre  of  influx — in  the  measure 
[perception  and  disposition]  of  every  member — becomes  an 
increased  body,  answering  to  the  measure  of  the  stature  of 
Christ;  (Divine  truth  itself;)  and  thence  enabled  to  edify  itself 
in  love. 

2d.  That  from  the  Clergy,  in  the  complex,  is  substantially 
this:  ' It  is  from  the  head,  w^hether  in  a  single  or  combined 
unity, — that  is,  as  in  a  pope,  a  king,  a  consecrated  first,  or 
as  in  a  general  synod,  assembly  or  conference, — that  the  whole 
body  of  the  Clergy — fuly  joined  together  by  that  which  every 
member  thereof  supplieth,  according  to  the  effectual  reception 
of  the  earthly  influence  and  working  thence  of  the  head,  the 
centre  of  that  influence,  in  the  measure  of  every  member — 
becomes  a  dignified  body  of  three  or  perhaps  sevex  degrees 
one  above  another,  clothed  wiih  power  immediately  from  the 
head  0)1  high,  to  edify  the  laity  by  means  of  ecclesiastical  laws 
and  commandments  of  men,  and  thence  to  reign  and  rule  over 
them !' 

Whence,  seeing  them  thus  posited,  is  it  necessary  to  inform 
the  judicious  reader,  that  the  former  image  is  to  the  latter  as 
Christ  is  to  .Antichrist /  or,  that  Antichrist,  wherever  found, 
will  always  be  found  to  be  opposing  and  exalting  his  crest,  by 
means  of  his  ministers,  above  all  that  is  called  God,  and  uwr- 
shipped?  (2  Thess.,  li.  4.)  Is  it  necessary  to  tell,  that  the 
clergy  (though  claiming  to  be  of  the  New  Church)  who  go 
about  to  teach  the  propriety,  the  glory,  the  pomp,  the  splendor 


*D.  Art.  3.]       .'Jnolher  Head  besides  Christ. 


155 


and  the  beaiifi/  of  a  consecrated  JirsI,  [a  pope  decked  out  in 
poutilical  jrray,]  and  that  of  liis  neat,  hiss  power,  and  lii.s  great 
authority,  (Rev.,  xiii.  10.)  and  tlie  subordination  ilience — or, 
who  go  about  to  leach  tlie  splendor  and  beauty  of  a  general 
SYNOD  on  ASSEMBLY,  whioh,  likc  a  central  sun  or  centre  of 
influence,  should  be  the  source  and  fountain  of  order  and  Unv 
to  the  cliurch,  and  under  wliicli  all  might  act  in  freedom,  loithin 
the  limiis  prescribed  by  tlie  ecclesiastical  laws  of  order  thence 
flowing,  (see  Precursor,  vol.  2,  p.  35G,) — are  none  other  than 
they  who  go  about  to  set  up  and  establish  another  head  besides 
Christ  the  true  head  of  the  Church  ? — none  other  than  they 
who  go  about  to  '  e/et'«/e  the  crest  of  JIntichrist  and  support 
the  dragon  in  maintaining  his  post  before  the  woman?' — and 
none  other  tiian  they  wiio  go  about  as  '  roaring  lions  seeking 
whom  they  may  devour!'  Such  being  the  case,  it  seems  evi- 
dent, that  they  who  thus  teach  are  none  other  than  they  who 
would,  were  it  in  their  power,  uiterly  destroy  the  image  of 
Divine  order  reflected  by  the  apostle,  wherein  Christ  alone  is 
exhibited  as  the  Head,  the  central  Sun,  and  the  Centre  of 
influx  to  every  member  of  his  body.  Thus  it  becomes  farther 
manifest,  that  because  they  would  thus  destroy  the  image  of 
Divine  order  reflected  from  the  great  apostle  of  the  Gentiles, 
they  also  would,  along  with  it,  destroy  even  the  apostle  himself, 
— nay,  even  if  it  were  by  digging  out  his  name  [quality]  from 
the  foundation  walls  of  ihe  New  Jerusalem,  at  the  risk  of  being 
themselves  buried  under  their  ruins! — thus  fulfilling  that  which 
is  written  in  Moses,  saying,  '  Simeon  and  Levi  are  [full  ]  bro- 
thers ;  the  instruments  of  cruelty  are  in  their  habitations.  O  my 
soul,  come  not  thou  into  their  secret;  unto  their  assembly 
mine  honor  be  not  thou  united  !  for  in  their  anger  they  slew  a 
man,  and  in  their  self-ivill  they  digged  down  a  wall.  Cursed 
be  their  anger  for  it  is  fierce ;  and  their  wrath  for  it  is  cruel ;' 
(Gen.,  xlix.  5,  6,  7  ;) — and  in  Hosea  :  'As  troops  of  robbers 
wait  for  a  man,  so  the  compan;/  of  priests  murder  in  the  way, 
with  one  shoulder,  even  to  Shechcm.^  (vi.  9.) 

149.  From  U.  T.,  701,  we  learn,  that  when  a  cerlain  un- 
published epistle  of  Paul  was  once  read,  in  the  hearing  of  a 
certain  people,  that  they  heard  it  with  contempt  and  indignation  ; 
but,  that  afterwards  when  they  became  convinced  that  Paul  was 
really^ the  author  of  it,  and  that  he  wrote  it  while  he  sojourned 
in  the  world,  they  apparently  received  it  with  joy  and  great 
satisfaction.  This  is  highly  illustrative  of  the  way  in  which 
the  writings  of  Paul  are  heard  and  received  by  the  clergy*of 
the  present  day ;  and  especially,  those  passages  which  stand  in 
direct  opposition  to  their  supposed  power  and  authority  from 


158  Powers  and  Prerogatives.         [Chap.  VII. 


on  high  to  reign  and  rule  over  the  laily.  Let  any  man,  whose 
soul  is  not  bound  up  in  diisguise  or  self  interest,  whose  generous 
sentiment  prompts  him  to  struggle  ctguinst  popular  error  and 
to  triumph  over  ridicule,  try  the  experiment;  and  he  shall  find, 
that,  by  taking  those  passages  adduced  from  Paul,  in  n.  143  to 
147,  and  dressing  tiiem  up  in  modern  pliraseology,  so  as  that  it 
might  not  be  immediately  known  that  Paul  was  indeed  the  au- 
thor of  iliem,  yet  so  as  to  retain  the  whole  design  and  intention 
of  tiie  author,  and  let  him  tlien  present  them  thus  disguised  to 
tlie  clergy,  and  he  will  doubtless  be  soon  furnished  with  sufB- 
cient  data  whence  lo  sum  itp  the  amount  of  iheir  love  towards 
the  sentiments  of  Paul ; — but  especially  from  the  quantity  of 
their  abuse  lowaids  himself.  Nay,  he  will  soon  find,  in  such 
case,  that  his  fate  is  to  fill  up  the  measure  of  the  suffeiings  of 
that  great  apostle,  namely:  that,  as  Paul  was  called  a  pestilent 
felloiv  and  a  mover  of  sedition,  so  he  must  be  called  a  radical, 
a  leveller,  and  a  ivriter  of  scurrilitj/  and  low  abuse,  prompted 
by  no  higher  moiives  than  the  spirit  of  pride  and  of  the  love 
of  notoriety.    (Compare  Precursor,  vol.  3,  p.  63,  64.) 

But  that  it  may  be  seen,  that  the  clergy  are  not  hereby 
wrongfullj-  charged,  it  will  only  be  necessary  to  exhibit  their 
treatment  of  the  following  sentiment,  and.  at  the  same  time,  x){ 
the  atttbor  of  it.  The  sentiment  is  this  :  '  If  a  member  exalts 
'  himself  above  a  fellow  member,  he  thereby  usurps  the  place 
»  of  the  head  ;  thus  breaks  the  unity  of  the  body  which  stands 
'  only  in  the  unity  of  the  head.    Whence,  he  that,  in  a  single  or 

•  combined  ur.iiy,  sets  himself  above  other  receivers,  by  giving 
laws  and  prescribing  rules  to  such  as  are  every  way  his  equals, 

♦  advances  himself  as  another  head  besides  Christ;  and  thus 
'  becomes,  to  all  intents  and  purposes,  an  Antichrist.'  Such  is 
the  sentiment,  the  clerical  treatment  of  which,  it  is  designed  to 
here  notice.  But,  in  the  first  place,  let  us  see  whether  Paul 
himself  be  not  indeed,  to  all  intents  and  purposes,  the  genuine 
author  of  it.  And,  to  this  end,  let  it  be  continually  borne  in 
mind,  that,  in  that  celebrated  passage  of  the  aposile,  before  ad- 
duced from  Eph.,  iv.,  (see  n.  147,^  it  is  clearly  taught,  that 
Christ  is  the  head  from  whom  each  and  all  of  the  members  of 
his  bosly,  [the  church,]  thus  the  whole  body,  increases  to  the 
edifying  of  itself  (not  the  laity  more  than  the  clergy)  in  love  ; 
and,  that  each  and  every  member  draws  his  task  from  th(^fo»i- 
mon  stock — the  head,  according  to  his  measure,  capacity,  dis- 
position or  use — that  is,  according  to  the  org.in  in  the  natural 
body  to  which  he  corresponds.  This  being  clear,  it  also  be- 
comes clear,  that  if  one  member  assume  that  he  is  invested 
ivilh  power  and  authority  from  on  high  to  become  a  common 


D.  Art.  3.]  Deductions  from  Paul. 


157 


slock,  from  which  all  tlie  rest  of  the  members  are  to  draw 
their  task,  and,  in  accordance  with  such  assumption,  go  about 
to  enforce  and  carry  out  the  pitiful  things  of  his  stock,  supposed 
to  he  embodied  within  him,  whether  in  the  aliape  of  laws  or 
rules  of  church  order,  executive  duties  or  otherwise,  (compare 
Precursor,  vol.  2,  p.  340,  341,) — such  presumptuous  member, 
in  sucli  case,  does  nothing  less  than  usurp  the  place  of  the 
head — the  place  of  Christ,  the  common  head  and  common  stock 
of  all.  (Jolin,  XV.)  This  being  clear  ajjd  evident,  it  becomes 
equally  so,  that  any  member  constituting  himself  a  head  besides 
Christ  the  true  head,  thence  destroys  the  oneness  or  unity  of 
the  bodi/;  seeing,  that  unity  of  body  stands  only  in  unity  of 
head,  and,  vice  versa,  plurality  of  head  in  plurality  ot  body. 
This  being  clear  and  evident,  it  becomes  equally  so,  that  he 
who  breaks  the  unity  of  the  Lord's  body  [the  chuich]  by  set- 
ting up  another  head  in  the  church  besides  Chiist,  whether  it 
be  in  a  single  unity,  as  in  a  pope,  or  in  a  combined  unity,  as 
in  a  general  council  or  convention — is  to  all  intents  and  pur- 
poses against  Christ ;  that  is,  Jlnti-Chnst,  or  an  Antichrist. 

But,  who  cannot  see,  that  tiiese  inevitable  deductions  from 
the  ap(>stt)6cal  passage  in  question,  when  collected  into  a  series 
andj'cpndensed,  constitute  no  other  than  the  sentiment  itself 
above  adtfuced,  llie  clerical  treatment  of  which  it  was  proposed 
liere  to  notice  ? 

150.  Having  then  seen,  not  only  the  source  and  foundation 
of  the  sentiment  in  question,  but  also  the  justness  and  legit- 
imacy o{  the  manner  in  which  it  is  drawn  fortii,  it  now  remains 
to  exhibit  the  contemptuous  treatment  it  met  with  at  the  hands 
of  the  clergy  ;  and  their  indignation  against  it — thence  also 
against  the  author  of  it — thus  against  Paul  himself,  who  first 
gave  form  to  it.  And  to  this  end,  it  may  be  stated  in  tiie  first 
place,  that  after  the  pamphlet  containing  the  sentiment  in  question 
had  made  its  appearance,  the  proctor  of  the  clergy,  under  the 
cognomen  of  Yindex,  also  made  his  appearance,  (see  Precur- 
sor, vol.  3,  pp.  63,  64,)  in  genuine  clerical  array  against  it ; 
but  especially  against  the  extract  in  question.  And,  to  be  brief, 
what  did  Vindex  then  lio  1  Did  he  attempt  to  show  that  one 
member  might  exalt  himself  above  a  felloiv  member,  and  might 
assume  to  be  invested  with  authority  to  rule  and  perform  ex- 
ecutive duties  ivithout  thence  becoming  another  head  besides 
Christ?  Did  he  attempt  to  show,  that  he  wiio  in  a  single  or 
combined  unity  actually  sets  hxmseM  above  tlie  rest  of  the  mem- 
bers of  the  body  of  Christ  does  not  thereby  advance  himself  as 
another  head  besides  Christ?  Verily,  he  did  not.  But,  in- 
stead of  all  which,  he  wisely  informed  the  church,  that  the  ex- 

14 


158 


Powers  and  Prerogatives.        [Chap.  VII. 


tract  in  question  is  a  labored  and  ill  constructed  thing,  beneath 
criticism!  But,  (strange  to  tell!)  that  this  his  assertion  nnight 
be  made  to  appear  as  if  true  indeed,  he  actually  changed  or 
forged  the  word  ^Whence'  (the  first  word  in  the  second  sentence) 
into  ^  Whereas,^  and  left  out  the  latter  clause  of  the  last  sentence 
altogether  ;  thus  rendering  the  whole  obscure  indeed  !  (Com- 
pare the  extract,  as  it  stands  in  the  pamphlet,  n.  17,  with  the 
Precursor  as  last  quoted.) 

151.  But  pursuing  Vindex  farther,  we  find,  that  he  has  dis- 
covered from  the  extinct  or  sentiment  in  question,  that  it  is  the 
clergy  who  are  there  meant !  Whence,  he  concludes,  that  they 
will  have  to  submit  to  scurrility  and  low  abuse  for  prescribing 
laws,  which  they  ivere  directed  to  do  by  the  convention  itself! 
But,  here  Vindex  altogether  forgot  to  tell,  that  the  clergy  have 
never  lacked  loyal  creatures,  both  willing  and  ready  to  lay  that 
clerical  delight,  the  delight  of  their  soul,  namely,  the  burden  of 
prescribing  laws  to  the  laity,  upon  their  own  clerical  shoidders ! 

But,  as  failher  touching  what  Vindex  here  says,  it  will  be 
observed,  that  he  virtually  calls  the  extract  in  question  scurrility 
and  low  abuse;  and,  from  which  it  may  be  seen,  that,  in  spirit, 
he  is  in  society  or  company  with  those  of  whom  S'^e^eiiborg 
speaks,  (see  n.  149,)  who  treated  with  contempt  j^d 'iiioigna- 
iion  Faul  s  unpublished  episile.  But,  of  these  it  ig*' said,' that 
when  ihey  became  convinced  that  Paul  really  was  the  author 
of  said  epistle,  they  apparently  reverenced  it  to  adoration  ;  and 
when  Vindex  becomes  convinced  that  Paul  really  is  the  authoi" 
of  the  sentiment  contained  in  the  aforesaid  extract,  perhaps  he 
will  cease  to  call  it  scurrility  and  loiv  abuse. 

152.  But,  the  indignation  of  Vindex  against  the  extract  in 
question,  and  thence  against  the  writer  of  it,  or  rather  against 
tJie  sentiment  or  principle  contained  in  it,  thus  against  Paid 
himself,  grows  hotter  and  hotter ;  for  he  alleges,  that  the  writer 
of  it,  '  In  the  true  spirit  of  a  radical  and  leveller,  fays  claim  to 
an  equality  that  admits  of  no  superior;^  and  that  '  To  set  up 
such  a  claim  is  |C7=  contrary  to  the  spirit  of  tiie  gospel 

and  '  contains  in  it  the  spirit  of  pride,  self-intelligence,  and 
love  of  notoriety,''  as  things  '  at  the  root  of  tiiat  factious,  cavil- 
ing disposition  which  so  troubles  this  writer.' 

Here  we  are  presented  with  a  pretty  fair  specimen  of  the 
indignation  and  wrath  of  an  old  church  priesthood.  From 
tlris  we  may  discover  the  tremendous  effects  of  the  lust  of  dom- 
ination in  the  clergy,  namely  :  that  it  absolutely  so  blinds  the 
eyes  of  their  minds,  as  to  cause  them  shamelessly  to  assert, 
tliat  for  men  of  the  church  as  such  to  lay  claim  to  an  equality 
that  admits  of  no  superior,  is  contrary  to  the  spirit  of  the 
GOSPEL  !    Taking  up  the  fond  conceit  that  they  are  invested 


D.  Art.  3.]     Ji  Supposed  Revisit  to  the  JEarth. 


150 


with  authority  from  on  high  to  arbitrarily  guide  the  actions  of 
others,  their  imaginations  become  so  filled  with  the  delirious 
phantoms  and  images  of  ghostly  dominion  and  worshipful  re- 
spect, in  relation  to  themselves,  and  of  trembling  svBordination 
in  relation  to  all  others,  that  they  pass  over  all  those  passages 
in  the  Word  where  the  doctrine  of  co-ordination  and  equality 
amongst  brethren  are  clearly  taught,  as  with  their  eyes  shut ! 
They  read,  it  is  true,  the  sayings  of  the  Lord  where  he  said, 
'  The  lords  of  the  Gentiles  exercise  authority  over  them,  but  it 
shall  not  be  so  amongst  you  ;  but  he  that  will  be  greatest  among 
you,  let  him  be  servant  of  all.'    They  read,  it  is  true,  that  the 
Lord  '  look  a  little  child  and  set  him  in  the  midst'  of  those  who 
had  been  blinded  for  a  moment  with  the  deliriums  of  domina- 
.  tion  and  si/6ordination,  and  who  (after  the  manner  of  Vindex 
now)  had  /Acu  contended  for  superiority,  in  order  to  teach  them 
co-ordination.    They  read,  that  John,  the  best  beloved  of  the 
disciples,  in  his  epistles  to  the  brethren,  calls  them  by  no  other 
name  than  little  children — and  this,  evidently  to  keep  them  in 
the  doctrine  of  co-ordination,  and  thence  in  brotherly  love  ot 
charily — well  knowing  that  co-ordination  and  brotherly  love 
live^  4?j^jdies  together.    But,  although  they  read  all  this,  and 
mucrfitjojfpi  taken  together  wiih  all  ihat  Paul  taught  in  relation 
to  c(J-oiMl^ation  and  equality  in  the  brotherhood,  still  they  lead 
all  as  the  words  of  a  pleasant  song ;  for  they  turn  away,  and, 
without  a  blush  to  mantle  their  cheek,  assert,  that  to  claim 
equality  is  contrary  to  the  Spirit  of  the  gospel !  and,  that  in 
such  claim  is  contained  the  spirit  of  pride  !  self-intelligence ! 
love  of  notoriety  '.  and  lies  at  the  root  of  faction  and  strife!— 
Whence,  were  the  Lord  himself,  along  with  John  and  Paul,  to 
revisit  the  earth,  as  in  the  days  of  their  flesh,  and  preach  essen- 
tially the  very  same  doctrines  they  did  while  on  earth  before, 
yet  so  as  not  to  be  immediately  recognized  to  be  essentiall)'  the 
same,  in  such  case,  it  appears  evident  from  the  things  above 
adduced,  that  the  clergy  would,  as  did  the  priesthood  of  old, 
cry  out,  'away  with  such  fellows,  it  is  not  fit  that  they  should 
live  !'    The  Jews,  stirred  up  by  the  priests,  called  Paul  a  pesti- 
lent fellow,  and  a  mover  of  sedition;  but  Vindex  would  now 
call  him    factious,  cavilling,  radical  leveller!  Diotrephes, 
who  loved  the  pre-eminence,  prated  maliciously  against  John  ; 
and  Vindex,  who  now  contends  mightily  for  superiority,  would 
doubtless  at  least  assert,  that  he  was  both  proud  and  self-intelli- 
gent! (pp)  and,  thus  treating  the  members  of  the  Lord's  house- 
hold, how  would  he  treat  their  Lord  and  Master  himself? 


(pp)  One  of  the  ecclesiastical  historians  informa  us  of  a  certain  sect, 
that  rose  up  in  the  church,  who  maintained  that  the  only  way  of  salvation 


160 


Powers  and  Prerogatives. 


[Chap.  VII. 


153.  It  will  hardly  be  denied,  that  the  Jewish  priests,  who 
condemned  and  crucified  the  Lord,  entertained  the  blind  con- 
ceit, that  they  were  clothed  with  power  and  authority  from  on 
high  to  silence,  even  to  death  itself,  every  doctrine  derogatory 
to  their  unholy  claims  and  supposed  sacred  order.  Annas,  and 
Caiphas,  and  John,  and  Alexander,  and  as  many  as  were  of  the 
kindred  of  the  high  priest,  being  gathered  together  at  Jerusa- 
lem, had  Peter  and  John  brought  forth  and  set  in  their  midst; — 
(Peter,  who  taught  that  God  was  no  respecter  of  persons,  and 
that  according  to  the  way  that  every  member  of  the  body  of 
Christ  had  received  the  gift  of  God,  [the  Divine  influx  or  pro- 
ceeding,] so  he  ought  to  minister  to  another,  as  good  stewards 
of  the  manifold  grace  of  God  ;  see  1  Peter,  iv.  10  ;  and  John, 
who,  from  his  love  of  mutual  love  and  fellowship  and  co- 
ordination thence  among  the  brethren,  called  them  Utile  cliil- 
dren,  after  the  example  of  the  Lord  ;  John,  xxi.  5  :) — and  being 
thus  set,  they  were  asked — (doubtless  by  Caiphas  the  high 
priest,  who,  before  that,  in  relation  to  the  Lord,  had  gravely 
given  counsel  that  it  was  expedient*  that  one  man  should  die 
for  the  people,) — by  ivhat  authority,  power  or  name  they,  who 
were  only  laymen  destitute  of  license  or  authority  from  the 
priesthood,  had  assumed  such  ground  as  to  fill  Jeruid&ib  jcith 
their  doctrine.    (Compare  Acts,  iv.  7,  with  v.  28  )  ''it  :  t> 

But  Vindex  says,  '  he  has  yet  to  learn  by  what  right  or 
privilege  the  lay  buother  assuines  such  ground  as  this ; — 
that  is,  Vindex,  mutatis  mutandis,  like  Caiphas  the  high  priest, 
and  in  essential  union  with  him,  asks  by  what  right  or  privi- 
lege the  brother,  who  is  only  a  layman,  destitute  of  license 
from  the  clergy  or  priesthood,  has  assumed  such  ground  as 
to  publish,  and  thence  to  fill  the  church  of  the  Neiv  Jerusalem 
with  his  doctrine  :  (meaning  the  doctrine  of  co-ordination  and 
equality  involved  in  the  extract  or  sentiment  under  considera- 
tion.)   Therefore,  of  whose  kindred  is  Vindex? 

Again :  Caiphas  the  high  priest  expostulates  wiih  Peter  and 
John  virtually  as  follows,  namely  :  that  tilling  Jerusalem  with 
their  doctrine  had  a  direct  tendency  to  cause  the  men  thereof  to 
believe  that  the  blood  of  Clirist  was  upon  [against]  the  priest- 
hood ;  (that  is,  that  the  priesthood  had  rejected  Divine  truth 
itself ;)  thus,  that  their  doctrine  had  a  direct  tendency  to  pull 

is  to  imitate  both  in  spirit  and  practice  the  example  set  \ry  the  Lord  while 
in  the  world.  Hut  that  thuir  opponents  said,  that  they  were  proud, 
heady,  and  high-minded  fanatics,  who  proudly  boasted  of  imitating  even 
the  example  set  by  the  Lord  hiiiiscl/';  and  who  had  forgotteii  that  'Go(f 
residclh  llic  proud,  and  givelh  g;racc  to  the  humble." 

*  That  priests  rather  inquire  after  expediency  than  after  righteousness 
and  truth,  see  n.  48,  article  li2lb,  note  a. 


D.  Art.  3.] 


Vindex  and  Cavphas. 


161 


down  that  [the  priesthood]  which  they  [Peter  and  John]  were 
unable  to  build  up ;  and  therefore,  that  they  ought  to  consider 
whether  they  could  not  be  better  employed  than  (under  the 
crude  and  wild  notion  of  liberty  of  speech)  in  going  about  to 
confound  the  great  distinction  that  exists  between  the  priesthood 
and  the  people,  so  indispensable  to  the  Jewish  economy  ;  and, 
whether  it  were  not  better  to  lay  down  their  arms  of  opposition, 
that  is,  keep  their  tongues  quiet  in  relation  to  the  name  of  Jesus  ; 
and,  at  the  same  time,  to  cherish  that  kind  sympathy  and  sweet 
charity,  in  relation  to  the  errors  and  frailties  of  the  priesthood, 
so  congenial  to  the  heart  of  every  good  Jew ; — 

But,  Vindex  also  expostulales  with  the  writer  of  the  extract 
before  noticed  '  and  those  of  a  kindred  temper,''  mutatis  mutanr 
dis,  essentially  thus : 

That  fdling  the  New  Church  with  their  doctrines  of  co- 
ordination had  a  direct  tendency  to  cause  the  men  thereof  to 
believe  that  the  priesthood  had  rejected  the  Divine  truth  in  re- 
lation to  that  suliject,  and  thence  to  cause  them  not  only  to  spurn 
the  doctrines  of  subordination,  but  also  to  cease  to  support  the 
priesthood  ;  thus,  that  their  doctrine  had  a  direct  tendency  '  to 
pull  down  that  ivhich  they  are  unable  to  build  up  T  and  there- 
fore, that  they  '  ought  to  consider  ivhelhcr  they  could  not  be 
belter  employed  than,  under  the  crude  and  tvild  notion  of  lib- 
erty of  speech,  and  equality  or  co-ordination,  in  going  about 
to  confound  those  distinctions^  and  dignities  so  desirable  to  the 
clergy  ;  and  also,  '  lohelher  it  loere  not  better  to  lay  down 
THEIR  ARMS  of  Opposition,^  namely,  their  pens,  those  sm;ill  but 
most  irresistible  species  of  arms,  and,  at  the  same  time,  *  to 
cherish  those  kindlier  sympathies  and  sweet  charities'— 
that  is,  in  relation  to  the  errors  and  frailties  of  the  clergy — '  so 
congenial  to  the  heart  of  a  good  man'' — that  is,  a  subordinate 
and  submissively  obedient  layman; — Therefore,  etc.,  (as  be- 
fore.) 

Here,  then,  Caiphas  and  Vindex  are  brought  into  juxtaposi- 
tion ;  and,  as  touching  tlie  justness  of  the  process  by-  which 
they  are  thus  posited,  every  reader  czn  see  for  himself  who  will 
take  the  pains  to  critically  and  rationally  compare  Vindex  in 
the  Precursor,  vol.  3,  pp.  63,  64,  with  Caiphas  in  Acts,  4th 
and  5th  chapters  ;  and  both  with  what  has  been  adduced  above. 

154.  To  him  who  has  attentively  read  the  preceding  numbers, 
and  especially  those  of  the  present  section,  it  must  needs  begin 
to  appear  manifest,  that  the  clergy  who  have  taken  up  the  insane 
conceit,  that  they  are  invested  with  power  and  predestination 
or  adaptation  immediately  from  on  high  to  teach,  rule  and  exe- 
cute, independently  of  the  people,  aie,  by  the  Word  of  the 

14* 


162 


Powers  and  Prerogatives.        [^Chap.  VII. 


Lord,  enclosed  on  all  sides  ;  and  shut  up,  as  in  a  rock  of  ada- 
mant, so  that  no  way  is  left  them  to  escape  or  fly.  '  How 
should  one  chase  a  thousand,  and  ttvo  put  ten  thousand  to 
flight,  except  the  Word  of  the  Lord  had  shut  them  up?* 
'  Their  grapes  are  the  grapes  of  gall ;  and  their  wine  is  the 
poison  of  dragons,  and  the  cruel  venom  of  asps."  (Deut.  xxxii. 
30.)  The  reason  why  those  who  take  up  that  vain  conceit  are 
said  to  be  so  shut  up,  is  from  this,  that  when  they  go  about  to 
teach  things  in  accordance  with  such  conceit,  their  teachings 
are  discovered,  from  the  sevenfold  light  of  the  latter  day  glory, 
not  to  be  wine,  [truth,]  but  the  poison  of  dragons,  [the  iiypo- 
crisy  of  the  learned,]  and  the  cruel  venom  of  asps,  [enormous 
falses.]  But  more  especially  from  this,  that,  let  them  take 
which  course  they  will  to  enact  or  enforce  things  in  accord- 
ance with  that  conceit,  they  may,  nevertheless,  from  the  light 
noiv  afforded,  not  only  be  met  promptly  by  the  sword  of  truth, 
but  also  exhibited  in  juxtaposition  with  the  acknowledged  ene- 
mies of  the  Lord.  See  n.  147  to  153;  and  especially  153, 
where  Vindex,  from  claiming  superiority ,  power  and  authority 
to  call  in  question  the  'right  of  privilege"  of  another  to  write 
his  thoughts  for  the  edification  of  his  family,  friends  and  breth- 
ren, is  thence  found  to  be  in  juxtaposition  with  Caiphas  the 
high  priest,  and  thence  in  rank  and  file  with  as  many  as  are  of 
the  kindred  of  that  high  priest. 

155.  It  should  not  be  forgotten,  that  along  with  the  arrogant 
pretension  of  being  invested  with  autliority  from  on  high  to  rule 
and  guide  the  laity,  independently  of  themselves,  is  always 
claimed  superiority  and  pre-eminence  ;  that  is,  he  who  insanely 
pretends  to  the  former,  never  fails  to  lay  claim  to  the  latter. 
Whence,  it  should  not  be  accounted  a  new  thing  under  the  sun, 
if  tiie  names  of  those  who  nojc  contend  for  equality  amongst 
brethren  '  should  be  cast  out  as  evil,'  Tlie  brethren  who  had 
been  taught  co-ordination  by  the  Lord  himself,  by  means  of  a 
little  child,  claimed  an  equality  that  admitted  of  no  superiority 
or  pre-eminence.  But,  Diotrephes  claimed  a  superiority  or 
pre-eminence  that  did  not  admit  of  equality;  and,  therefore, 
became  filled  with  larath  and  indignation  against  the  brethren 
for  presuming  to  claim  equality,  and  thence  *  cast  them  out  of 
the  church.'  (Compare  Precursor,  vol.  3,  p.  6t.)  The  devil, 
it  is  said,  will  be  at  peace  with  all  who  will  acknowledge  his 
pre  eminence  or  superiority,  and  thence  full  doton  and  worship 
him.  Whence  it  may  be  seen,  that  the  reason  why  Diotrephes 
became  filled  with  wrath  against  the  brciliren  and  thence  cast 
them  out  of  the  church,  was  because  they  would  not  acknowledge 
him  as  pre-eminent  or  superior;  nor  give  him  that  rROPr".  nr- 
SPECT,  falsely  so  called,  after  which  he  lusted. 


D.  Art.  3.] 


Spiritual  Incest — what. 


163 


156.  The  Lord  alone,  then,  is  ihe  husband  and  head  of  the 
cluirch;  and  the  church,  from  corresponding  rehuions,  is  his 
irif'e  and  boda,  consisting  of  many  members,  equal  and  co- 
ordinate wilh'respect  to  power  and  authority  from  the  liead  on 
high,  allliou!i!i  of  different  gifts,  according  to  tliat  coveted  by 
each  respectively;  the  most  excellent  (not  the  most  antiiorita- 
tivc)  of  which  is  that  of  charity.  (See  1  Cor.,  xiii.)  Whence 
it  is  manifesily  contrary  to  order,  for  the  church,  who  is  the 
bodi/  of  which  the  Lord  is  head,  to  elevate  or  advance  one  of 
her'membcrs  by  awarding  to  him  power,  authority  and  influ- 
ence [influx]  to  rule  and  guide  her  actions;  seeing  tliis  would 
be  to  advance  and  setup  for  herseli  another  head  besides  Christ. 
Nay,  such  atlvanccment  manifestly  involves  in  it,  that  the  mem- 
ber advanced,  allliough  a  son  of  the  church,  may  nevertheless 
take  the  place  of  the  husband  and  head  of  the  church,  and 
thence  also,  that  he  may,  through  or  by  the  ivay  of  her  body, 
become  the  progenitor  of  other  heads,  husbands,  or  priests; 
and  these  again  of  others,  in  an  endless  succession  J  /  The 
paind  clergy,  it  is  true,  called  the  church  iheir  spouse  or  wife, 
(concerning  which,  see  n.  55,  articles  20,  21,  22,)  and,  consist- 
ently with  this,  they  asserted,  that  priests  were  essential  to  the 
production  of  others  !  Whence,  it  may  be  seen,  that  the  origin 
of  that  invention  of  the  devil,  called  ^thc  priestly  succession,' 
had  its  rise  with  raising  up,  elevating,  or  advancing  one  mem- 
ber above  another,  by  awarding  to  him  authority  and  pro-emi- 
nence. Not  only  so,  but  from  this  it  may  also  be  seen,  that  the 
priestly  succession  is  no  other  than  a  necessary  effect  resulting 
from  the  conjugial  relation  claimed  as  existing  between  the 
priest  and  the  church — from  his  claimhig  to  be,  or  from  his 
being  made  the  head  and  husband  thereof!  But  the  man  of 
the  New  Church,  being  specially  taught  that  the  Churcli  is  his 
Mother  and  the  Lord  his  Father,  will  therefore  ever  look  upon 
Xhe  incestuous  relation  just  noticed,  as  an  ^abhorrence  to  all 
Jlesh.'  Nay,  he  will  thence  plainly  discover,  that  they  wlio  go 
about  tj  teach  that  the  church  cannot  bring  forth  her  ministers 
without  the  aid  of  priests  who  are  of  the  succession — that  is, 
without  the  aid  of  priests  who  were  spiritually  begotten  as  suck 
by  other  priests — are  none  other  than  they  who  would  violate 
and  thence  corrupt  the  church,  the  Jerusalem  which  is  above, 
and  the  MOTHr.u  of  us  all ;  by  advancing  and  setting  up  priests 
as  her  husband  and  head,  instead  of  the  Lord  alone; — as  did 
the  Roman  Catholics  long  before  them. 

157.  But,  says  one,  the  circumstances  are  changed  from 
what  they  were  when  the  New  Church  called  forth  J.  Hind- 

larsh  and  /.  Hargrove  to  the  ministry.    That  this  is  indeed 


164 


Powers  and  Prerogatives.        [Chap.  VIT. 


true,  is  acknowledged  with  deep  regret.  Nay,  we  acknowledge, 
tliat  when  the  church,  from  awarding  power,  authority  and 
influx  to  priests,  (see  Precursor,  vol.  2,  p.  10,)  looks  up  to 
them  as  to  a  husband  and  head,  and  thence  to  a  priestly  pro- 
geny in  succession  from  such  husband  or  head,  that  her  cir- 
cumslances  become  thence  altogether  changed  from  what  they 
would  have  been  had  she  remained  true  to  the  Lord  alone,  and 
continued  to  look  up  only  to  Him  for  a  supply  of  ministering 
servants.  But,  supposing  the  circumstances  of  the  New  Church 
have  indeed  become  changed,  as  just  noticed,  are  we  therefore 
to  conclude,  that  Divine  Order,  thus  that  God  himself  has  be» 
come  changed  too,  so  that  He  only  ivinks  at  the  changes  of 
His  Church — so  that  He  actually  approves  of  all  her  inconti- 
nency  and  falseness  in  relation  even  to  Himself?  Must  Divine 
Order  notv  indeed  adapt  itself  to  the  circumstances  into  which 
the  church  has  fallen,  by  departing  from  what  she  acknowledges 
was  according  to  Divine  Order,  or  rather,  Divine  Order  itself? 
So  far  from  Divine  Order  changing,  so  as  to  become  adapted 
to  the  changes  and  ineontinency  of  the  church,  the  reverse  is 
rather  taught  in  Hosea,  where  the  Lord  says,  'I  will  visit  upon 
her  [the  churchj  the  days  of  Baalim,  wherein  she  decked  her- 
self with  ear-rings  and  jewels  and  went  after  her  lover  and 
forgat  me.  Therefore  I  will  cause  her  to  be  brought  back  into 
the  tvilderness,  and  will  there  speak  to  her  heart,  and  I  will 
give  her  her  vineyards  from  tlience,  and  the  valley  of  Jlchor 
for  a  door  of  hope; — (that  is,  the  trouble  of  Achan,  who  trou* 
bled  Israel,  by  saving  from  the  general  destruction  of  Jericho 
a  goodly  Babylonish  garment,  and  a  wedge  of  the  gold  thereof; 
see  Josh.,  vii.;) — and  from  that  day  [state]  she  shall  call  me 
Mil  Husband.  (See  Hosea,  ii.  13  to  16.)  AV hence  it  is  mani- 
fest, that  instead  of  Divine  Order  adapting  itself  to  all  the 
changes  of  the  church,  so  as  to  agree  therewith,  it  brings  back 
the  incontinent  church  into  the  wilderness,  and  into  the  valley 
of  trouble,  to  give  her  thence  her  vineyards,  [the  affection  of 
truth,]  and  thence  a  door  of  hope.  Thus  we  see,  that  Divine 
Order  changes  not,  but  is  as  eternal  as  God  himself,  from  whom 
all  order  Hows  ; 

But,  it  is  granted  on  all  hands,  that  the  act  of  the  men  of  the 
New  Church,  in  calling  forth  and  co-ordinately  ordaining 
James  Hindmarsh  and  John  Hargrove  into  the  ministry,  was 
not  only  in  accordance  with,  but  was  also  a  manifestation  of 
Divine  Order ; 

Therefore,  it  follows  from  the  premises,  that  in  so  far  as  the 
New  Church  now,  in  providing  her  ministry,  departs  or  haa 
departed  from  the  order  at  first  adopted,  so  far  she  departs  from 
Divine  Order  itself. 


D.  Art.  3.]     One  fVrong  Jusliftjing  Another, 


165 


158.  A\'lieu  men  have  departed  from  Divine  order,  it  is  pre- 
posterous to  tall;  of  the  circumstances  into  which  they  have 
thence  fallen,  as  bein^  sufficient  to  justify  them  in  eternally  de- 
parlinn^  farther  and  farther  from  it !    The  principle  from  which 
such  mode  of  justification  flows,  as  ultimated  in  legal  phraseolo- 
gy, is  called,  '  A  man.s  taking  advantage  of  his  own  wrong  ;^ 
whence,  it  is  applicable  to  almost  ever}'  species  of  wrong  perpe- 
trated on  the  face  of  the  earth.    The  holder  of  trembling  slaves, 
armed  with  ivtiip  and  scorpion — as  well  as  he  who  strikes  Jiands 
tvith  him,  justifies  him,  communes  ivith  him,  and  who  wishes 
him  God  speed,  (not  when  he  comes  to  bring  good  news,  peace 
and  good  ivill  to  all  men,  without  exception,  but)  when  he 
comes  with  the  wrath  of  a  demon  to  re-enslave  such  as  may 
for  a  moment  have  escaped  from  under  the  merciless  rod  of  his 
oppressor — will,  each  of  them,  grant  that  originalh/  it  was  ac- 
cording to  the  order  of  God,  that  all  men  should  be  free  and 
happy.    But,  not  satisfied  to  let  the  subject  rest  there,  they  will 
also  gravely  inform  you,  that  circumstances  have  become 
mightily  changed  since  the  beginning;  and  that  we  must  now 
act  in  accordance  with  the  circumstances  under  ivhich  ice  have 
fallen.    Nevertheless,  what  is  all  this,  but  seizing  upon  cir- 
cumstances resulting  from  a  departure  from  Divine  order,  so  aa 
thence,  ifpossible,  to  justify  ourselves  in  departingyor^//rr  and 
farther  from  it?    Nay,  what  is  it  but  the  oppressor  taking  ad- 
vantage of  his  own  ivrong? 

159.  But,  it  is  farther  to  be  known,  that,  besides  the  authority, 
power,  influx  and  predestination  [adaptation]  claimed  from  on 
high,  independently  of  the  laity,  by  the  clergy, — besides  the 
pre-eminence,  headship,  husbandship,  conjugial  relation  to  the 
church,  and  the  succession  thence,  (see  155,  156,)  along  with 
sll  (he  circumstances  thence  resulting,  involving  the  order  of 
disorder  and  adherence  to  it,  claimed  by  the  clergy,  (see  n.  157, 
158,  and  Precursor,  vol.  3,  pp.  161  to  165,) — it  is  also  claimed 
in  their  behalf,  that  the  laity  should  not  only  award  all  such 
powers  and  prerogatives  to  them,  but  also,  that  the}'  should 
relinquish  to  them  all  right  in  relation  thereto  by  a  formal 
act!  (Compare  Precursor,  vol.  2,  p.  322,  art.  5;  and  vol.  2, 
p.  10.)  But,  as  touching  such  relinquishment,  let  it  be  noticed, 
that  there  are  no  other  powers  appertaining  to  man  than  those 
of  his  soul  or  spirit,  and  those  of  his  body  thence.  Those  of 
his  spirit  consist  of  freedom  and  rationality,  involving  freedom 
in  spiritual  things — the  things  cf  goodness  and  truth,  of  charity 
and  Aiiih — and  which  things  are  exhibited  in  the  body  in  speech 
and  action.  Whence  it  is  evident,'  that  because  freedom  in 
spiritual  things  involves  in  it  such  things  as  goodness  and  truth, 


166 


Powers  and  Prerogatives.        [Chap.  VII. 


etc.,  it  therefore  can  never  be  relinquished  to  the  clergy,  whether 
by  a  formal  act  or  otherwise,  except  it  be  by  priest-ridden  pa- 
pists, or  other  servile  souls  making  one  with  them.  Nay, 
even  speech  and  action,  although  of  the  body,  tlius  external, 
is  never  voluntarily  relinquished  but  by  the  vilest  of  slaves. 
It  is  true,  indeed,  that,  for  the  sake  of  peace  and  protection, 
men  may  rationally  place  those  external  powers  under  the  con- 
trol of  the  civil  laws  of  the  land  ;  yet,  in  such  case,  tiiey  nevei 
relinquish  them,  much  less  those  of  the  spirit,  involving  free- 
dom in  spiritual  things.    To  which  it  may  be  added,  that, 
because  the  freedom  of  man  in  spiritual  things,  which  remains 
inviolate,  embraces  every  conceivable  thought,  speech  and  ac» 
lion,  not  in  opposition  to  the  civil  laws  of  the  land,  therefore  it 
is,  that  when  the  civil  laws  of  the  land  are  so  framed  as  to  pro- 
tect every  man  in  the  peaceable  enjoyment  of  his  religion,  it 
results  that,  with  a  good  man,  freedom  in  spiritual  things  em- 
braces the  power  of  willing  and  thinking,  of  speaking  and  acting, 
without  the  control  of  any  external  restraint  whatever; — and 
which  power,  as  above  suggested,  so  long  as  man  remains  per- 
fectly rational,  he  never  can  relinquish,  whether  to  the  clergy 
or  others,  by  formal  acts  or  othericise. 

160.  From  the  light  of  the  New  Jerusalem,  descending  from 
God  out  of  heaven,  we  discover,  that  to  rule  in  the  church  is 
to  argue  with  and  convince  those,  who  are  in  falses  and  evils 
in  the  church  where  the  Word  is;  (see  Ap.  Ex.,  n.  726 ;)— • 
that  riding  (or  feeding,  which  is  the  same  thing,)  is  to  teach  } 
(ibid.;) — that  there  are  none  who  exercise  any  arbitrary  author- 
ity in  the  kingdom  of  heaven,  inasmuch  as  there,  ?io  one'in  his 
heart  acknowledges  any  above  himself  but  the  Lord  alone; 
(see  n.  735 ;)  and  tliat  witli  those  who  do  not  suffer  themselves 
to  be  compelled  in  things  of  religion  by  means  of  threats  and 
punishments,  (involved  in  ecclesiastical  laws,)  there  is  an  inter- 
nal  in  their  worship;  but  not  so  with  the  papists  or  others  who, 
like  them,  suffer  themselves  to  be  compelled  in  things  of  reli- 
gion by  papal  bulls,  or  by  ecclesiastical  laws,  which  are  virtually 
the  same  thing  ;  for  these  have  nothing  of  internal  in  their  wor- 
ship. (See  Divine  Providence,  n.  136.) 

But  the  things  here  adduced  from  the  light  of  the  New  Jeru- 
salem, are  in  strict  accordance  with  what  the  apostle  of  the 
Gentiles  taught  the  Corinthians,  where  he  declares,  that  they 
[the  apostles]  had  not  dominion  over  their  faith,  and  that  it 
was  by  fulh  they  [the  laity]  stood  ;  seeing  the  apostle  by  this 
teaches,  that  to  take  away  a  man's  faith  by  means  of  clerical 
authority,  power  and  influx,  supposed  to  be  from  on  high,  or, 
what  is  virtually  the  same  thing,  by  means  of  ecclesiastical  laws, 


D.  An.  3.] 


True  Dignity  and  Dominion. 


167 


involving  tlireatenings,  censure  or  punishment,  and  you  leave 
him  tvitliout  foundation  whereon  to  stand.  Not  only  so,  bul 
the  things  above  adduced  are  also  in  strict  accordance  with  the 
same  apostle,  where  he  so  often  teaches  that  the  power  where- 
with the  apostles  were  endowed  was  not  given  them  for  de- 
struction, nor  yet  for  execution;  (that  is.  the  performance  of 
executive  duties  ;)  but  for  edification.  Therefore,  taking  the 
things  here  adduced  in  the  complex,  it  becomes  manifest,  that 
clerical  prerogative,  although  expressed  by  the  high  sounding 
terms  of  authority,  rule,  power,  influx,  predestination,  [adapta- 
tion,] etc.,  amounts  to  nothing  more  tlian  the  simple  preroga- 
tive of  ministering  and  serving  in  tiie  work  of  edification  or 
TEACHING.  And  here  let  it  be  noted  in  a  book,  that  in  this 
work  lies  that  true  dominion  which  the  presumptuous  and 
self-wilted  of  the  clergy  despise  ;  and  in  this  work  is  contained 
Uiat  dignity  of  which  '  tkey  are  not  afraid  to  speak  evil.' 
(See  2  Peter  and  Jude.)  Whence  it  farther  becomes  manifest, 
that  the  apostolic  authority,  dignity  and  dominion  here  treated 
of,  is  as  opposite  to  that  which  the  sctfwilled  (that  is,  those  in 
the  love  of  self  and  the  lust  of  digniiy  and  dominion  tlience) 
seek  to  obtain,  as  heaven  is  to  hell,  or  light  to  darkness. 

161.  Again,  from  llie  light  of  the  Holy  City,  the  New  Jeru- 
salem coming  down,  we  discover,  that  the  clergy  wlio  from  the 
love  of  self  are  thence  in  the  lust  of  superiority,  pre-eminence, 
dignity  and  dominion  over  the  things  of  heaven,  are  represented 
in  Isaiah,  xiv.  4,  by  Lucifer,  who  is  there  exhibited  as  saying, 
'  I  it'ill  sit  on  the  mount  of  the  convention  in  the  sides  of  the 
north' — ^  I  will  he  like  the  Most  High;'  (see  Last  Judgment, 
n.  54  ;) — that  the  clergy  of  the  convention  in  the  western 
quarter  devise  nefarious  artifices  to  keep  the  people  uruler  the 
yoke  of  their  sway — nay,  that  they  force  men  to  submit  to 
that  yoke ;  (L.  J.,  58;) — that  all  those  who  consulted  on  the 
best  modes  of  keeping  the  people  in  blind  oledience  were  hurled 
into  a  gulf  deep  and  yawning  beneath  and  around  them,  there 
to  reap  correspondently  what  they  had  sown;  (L.  J.,  60;) — 
that  ^he  consultations  of  the  whole  Babylonian  race  tend  to  this 
only,  that  they  may  dominate  not  only  over  heaven,  but  also 
over  the  earth,  and  to  effect  which  they  continually  devise  and 
hatch  new  laios  and  doctrinals ; — that  it  was  granted  to  hear 
certain  primates  or  heads  of  the  clergy  in  convention  consulting 
about  a  doctrine  which  was  to  become  a  law  to  the  laity,  and 
which,  though  consisting  of  several  articles,  tended  in  each  of 
them  to  one  thing,  that  is,  fraudulent  dominion  over  the  heavens, 
[the  things  of  faith  or  the  faith  of  the  laity,]  and  the  ascription 
of  power  to  themselves  and  little  or  none  to  the  Lord} — that 


168 


Powers  and  Prerogatives.        [Chap.  VII. 


such  articles  were  therefore  dictated  from  the  deepest  hell ; 
(L.  J.,  5S;) — that  to  rule  by  means  of  religion,  is  to  rule  over 
the  spiritual  lives  of  mc7i ; — that  to  use  Divine  things  as  a 
means  to  rule,  is  the  essence  or  principle  called  Babylon; — 
that  in  so  far  as  the  love  of  riilino;  prevails  in  the  man  of  the 
church,  so  far  hell  reigns; — that  it  is  from  the  love  of  ruling  in 
the  clergy  that  tlie  vulgar  are  taught  that  they  have  life  eleinal 
in  the  faith  of  the  clergy,  thus  not  in  their  own  faith,  but  in 
that  of  other  moi; — that  it  is  from  the  same  love  that  the  vul- 
gar are  taught  that  they  must  cause  tlieir  preconceived  opinions 
to  submit  to  clerical  dictation;  (compare  Precursor,  vol.  2,  p. 
10;)  and,  finally,  that  those  in  the  love  of  ruling  place  all  wor- 
ship, llius  the  essential  of  it,  in  a  devout  external,  namely,  in 
external  morality ,  mode  or  manner,  or  in  rites  and  ceremonies. 
(SeeL.  J.,  n.  54,  55.) 

From  all  which  it  becomes  quite  evident,  that  the  nature  of 
the  power,  authority,  pre-eminence,  dignity  and  dominion  of 
the  clergy,  flowing  from  the  love  of  self,  and  which  manifestly 
makes  one  with  all  that  is  contended  for  by  the  clergy  at  this 
day,  is  as  difl'erent  I'rom  that  of  those  tilings — called  by  the 
same  name — displayed  and  exercised  by  the  true  ministers  of 
the  Lord  from  the  love  oi teaching  and  edifying,  as  heaven  is 
from  hell  !    (See  number  just  preceding.) 

162.  Let  it  llien  be  asked,  to  what  end  is  it  that  we  read  in 
the  heavenly  doctrines  the  passages  adduced  in  the  numbers 
just  preceding,  if  we  refuse  to  be  thence  admonished  so  as  to 
be  profitted  by  them,  or  even  so  as  to  take  shame  ?  Shall  we 
indeed  suppose,  that  liiC  things  of  heaven  and  hell,  along  with 
the  judgment  of  the  consummated  cliurch,  have  all  been  dis- 
played before  the  men  of  tlie  New  Church  for  no  other  purpose 
than  that,  after  looking  hastily  at  them,  they  might,  instead  of 
doing  tiiem,  go  away  exclaiming,  O  !  how  wonderful !  how 
learned!  how  wise!  how  honored  !  Shall  the  heavenly  doc- 
trines of  the  New  Jerusalem  be  indeed  to  New  Church  men  as 
children  sitting  in  the  market-place,  complaining  to  their  fel- 
lows, saying,  we  have  piped  to  you  and  you  ivill  ??o<  dance, 
we  have  mourned  to  you  and  you  icill  not  weep  ?  Shall  these 
doctrines  be  treated  similar  to  the  way  of  which  Ezekiel  speaks, 
namely:  'They  come  unto  thee  as  the  people  cometh  ;  and 
they  sit  before  thee  as  my  people,  and  they  hear  thy  words, 
but  they  will  not  do  them  ;  for  with  the  mouth  they  show  much 
love,  but  their  heart  goeth  after  their  covetousness.  And,  lo  ! 
t^ou  art  unto  them  as  a  very  lovely  song  of  one  that  hath  a 
pleasant  voice,  and  can  play  well  on  an  instrument;  for  they 
hear  tliy  words, but  go  away  and  do  them  not?'  (.\x.xiii.  31,  32.) 


D.  Art.  3.]    Piping  to  those  who  will  not  Dance.  169 


Shall  all  that  has  been  exposed  to  the  view  of  men  and  angels, 
from  tiie  unfolding  and  opening  up  of  the  book  of  the  Lord, 
(heretofore  sealed  with  seven  seals,)  in  relation  to  the  pride, 
the  arrogancy,  and  the  lust  of  domination  in  liie  clergy  of  the 
consinnmated  church,  their  judgment  and  correspondent  hells, 
be  no  otiier  to  the  men  of  this  generation  than  the  piping  of 
children  to  those  who  will  not  dance,  and  their  mourning  to 
those  who  will  not  iveep ;  or,  than  the  words  of  a  pleasant  song 
or  story  to  those  who  are  determined  not  to  be  thence  admon- 
ished?   They  who  vamly  suppose  that  tlie  lust  of  dominion 
over  the  things  of  heaven,  thus  over  the  faith  of  the  laity,  can 
never  have  place  in  any  man  professing  the -faith  of  the  New 
Church,  must  of  necessity  esteem  all  that  Swedenborg  has 
written  and  unfolded  in  relation  to  that  subject  none  other  than 
as  a  pleasant  song,  or  as  the  words  of  one  that  has  a  pleasant 
voice  and  can  play  well  upon  an  instrument!    If  clerical  dom- 
ination belongs  exclusively  to  the  old  church,  and  can  never 
find  a  place  whereon  to  rest  the  sole  of  its  foot  in  the  new, — if 
every  professed  receiver  of  the  heavenly  doctrines  'will  love  the 
truth  jor  its  ow.v  sake,'' — if  no  priest  or  clergyman  whatever 
who  has  once  gotten  witiiin  the  pales  of  the  New  Church, 
whether  by  climbing  up,  or  otherwise,  can  ever  have  any  con- 
ceivable inducement  for  exercising  any  other  dominion  than 
that  which  is  grounded  in  love  to  the  Lord  and  charity  towards 
the  neighbor,  and  which  is  thence  ultimated  in  nothing  more 
than  in  teaching  and  edifying, — if  it  be  '  impossible  that  false 
doctrines  _and  arbitrary  rule  (that  is,  the  love  of  ruling  from  the 
love  of  self  and  the  lust  of  dominion  thence)  can  ever  have 
place  in  men  who  call  themselves  by  the  tide  of  tlie  clergy  of 
the  New  Church, — namely,  if  each  or  all  these  things  be  so — 
nay,  so  much  so,  that  one  supposing  that  they  might  be  other- 
wise ought  to  be  looked  upon  as  one  who  had  no  pretensions  to 
the  character  of  a  New  Church  man,  (compare  Precursor,  vol. 
3,  p.  27,  first  column,) — then  the  question  comes  up  with  irre- 
sistible force,  namely:  to  what  end  were  all  those  pages  in  the 
heavenly  doctrines  of  the  New  Dispensation  written — which 
serve  to  unfold  the  mysteries  of  Mystery  Babylon — the  Moth- 
er of  abominations — but  especially  those  whicli  serve  to  unfold 
and  expose  the  mysteries  of  clerical  power,  authority,  superior- 
ity and  domination  thence  ? 

163.  If  it  were  indeed  true,  that  it  is  utterly  impossible  for 
men,  who  claiiu  to  be  of  the  clergy  of  the  New  Church,  to  act 
from  a  principle  grounded  in  the  love  of  self  so  as  thence  to 
introduce  arbitrary  rule  and  its  oppressive  consequences  into 
the  church,  then  it  follows,  that  all  that  is  brought  into  light, 

15 


170 


Powers  and  Prerogatives.        [Chap.  VII. 


and  exposed  in  these  latter  days,  in  relation  to  clerical  domina- 
tion, is  of  no  more  real  use  to  the  New  Church,  than  so  many 
pages  of  blank  jiaper .'    Such  things  could  not  be  written  for 
HEit  admonition  upon  whom  the  ends  of  the  world  have  come  ; 
seeing,  that,  according  to  the  supposition,  it  were  impossible 
for  her  to  go  astray  in  that  direction !    Nay,  farther,  in  such 
case,  things  brought  into  light  respecting  the  domination  of  the 
clergy  of  tlie  consummated  church,  would  be  to  the  clergy 
claiming  to  be  of  the  new,  comparatively,  like  an  antiquated 
race  of  beings  whose  obsolete  customs  and  manners  it  were 
utterly  impossible  should  ever  be  again  revived.    Is  it  not 
evident,  that,  if  it  were  indeed  true,  that  the  love  of  self  and 
lust  of  dominion  thence  could  never  obtain  amongst  men  claim- 
ing to  be  of  tlie  clerg}-  of  the  New  Church,  it  would  necessarily 
result,  that  so  far  as  regards  clerical  domination,  the  church 
may  siifely  fold  her  arms,  '  be  at  ease  in  Zion,'  '  trust  in  the. 
mountain  of  Samaria,'  '  put  far  away  the  evil  day,'  and  '  lie 
down  upon  their  beds  of  ivory^  to  sleep  soundly  and  securely? 
(See  Amos,  vi.  1  to  4.)    Nay,  rather,  in  such  case,  might  she 
not  share  the  bed  [doctrine]  with  Axtixomians,  and  with  them 
sleep  on ;  seeing  these,  from  the  insane  belief  that  they  have 
been  elected  from  eternity  to  be  citizens  of  the  New  Jerusalem, 
'FEAR  NO  COLORS?'    Whence,  it  becomes  plain  enough,  that 
the  principle  from  which  it  is  said  that  neither  false  doctrines 
nor  clerical  domination  can  ever  be  preached  or  exercised  in  the 
New  Church,  makes  one  with  that  from  which  not  only  Cul- 
vinistic  predestination,  but  Catholic  infallibility  also  was 
first  drawn  up  from  the  abyss,  and  afterwards  hatched  out  by 
clerical  ecclesiastics  in  council  or  convention  assembled.  But 
it  should  be  known,  that,  for  a  man  to  turn  from,  the  abomina- 
tions of  infallibility  and  predestination,  and  yet  to  cleave  to  the 
principle  from  which  both  alike  flow,  is,  comparatively,  as  if  a 
man  in  flying  from  satan  should  fall  into  the  snare  of  the  devil, 
and  thence  be  led  captive  by  him  at  his  will.    Therefore,  from 
tlie  complex  of  tlie  things  adduced  in  relation  to  clerical  power, 
autliority,  rule  and  domination  thence,  it  is  justly  concluded, 
that  the  things  developed  and  unfolded  in  relation  thereto,  were 
not  for  the  useless  use  of  exciting  astonishment  and  wonder  in 
tlie  men  of  the  New  Church,  nor  for  that  oi'  delighting  them  as 
with  a  pleasant  song,  nor  yet  for  the  purpose  of  piping  to  the 
church,  without  intending  that  she  should  '  go  forth  in  the 
dance  ;^  but,  contrariwise,  to  the  end  that  she  might  see  what 
is  in  opposition  to,  as  well  as  in  agreement  with  Divine  order; 
and  that,  in  seeing  this,  she  might  thence  be  admonished,  so  as 
to  apply  the  things  written  to  Iver  own  state  and  case ;  and  thence 


D.  Art.  3.]    Original  Position  and  Proceedings.  171 


to  become  instrumental  in  the  ivork  of  her  own  regeneration 
and  nalvation.    (Compare  with  Boston  Magazine,  p.  336.) 

164.  Tlie  men  of  the  New  Church,  like  the  disciples  at  the 
day  of  Pentecost,  were  originally  of  one  accord  [co-ordinate^ 
and  in  the  same  place  ;  tlial  is,  no  one  claimed  superiority  and 
thence  elevation  of  place,  rank,  or  degree  ;  no  one  claimed  pow- 
er, authority,  influx,  or  predestination  from  on  high,  independ-  . 
ently  of  the  rest,  to  teach  and  preach,  lead  and  guide,  reign  and 
rule.    Ordination,  wiili  every  other  function,  duty  and  use  ap- 
pertaining to  the  church,  were  all  iield  co-ordinal eli/  and  in 
common ;  none  acknowledging  any  superior  but  the  Lord  alone ; 
and,  being  thus  gathered  together,  namely,  in  the  same  place, 
as  just  slated,  the  kingdom  of  the  Lord  was  with  them,  and  the 
Lord  himself  in  their  midst  to  bless  them!    Such  being  the 
case,  we  accordingly  find,  that,  in  A.  D.  1787,  a  few  recipients 
of  the  Xew  Dispensation,  in  London,  agreed  to  meet  together 
for  reading  and  conversation  ;  and  that,  wiien  their  number  had 
amounted  to  Twelve,  they  agreed  to  cast  lots,  in  order  to  deter- 
mine who  s\\on\d  perform  the  office  of  ordination,  viz:  in  order 
to  determine  who  should  ordain  James  Ilindmarsh,  whose  or- 
dination of  heaven  they  had  already  acknowledged.    The  result 
of  the  transaction  was,  that  the  lots  fell  upon  Robert  Ilindmarsh, 
the  son  of  the  aforesaid  James,  who  accordingly  ordained  his 
father,  and  wiio  himself,  although  never  ordained,  became  a 
distinguished  writer  and  preacher  in  the  New  Church.  Thus 
far,  all  t!)e  bretliren  are  co-ordinate — of  one  accord  and  in  the 
same  place.    Five  years  after  this,  (1793,)  we  find,  that  Mr. 
fVilmer  preached  in  Ba'limore  with  zeal  and  great  effect,  al- 
though unordained  by  a  New  Church  minister  ;  and,  after  this, 
that  John  Hargrove  zvas  ordained  a  New  Cliurch  minister,  in 
the  same  place,  by  the  laying  on  of  the  hands  of  the  laity, 
namely,  of  the  hands  of  persons  appointed  by  the  society  for 
that  purpose.    These  circumstances  are  strongly  indicative 
that  the  Baltimore  brethren,  like  those  of  London,  were  all  of 
one  accord  and  in  the  same  place,  (qq)    (See  Precursor,  voL 
2,  pp.  274,  275,  276.) 

(f/9)  In  allusion  to  the  above  transactions,  the  language  of  the  New 
Church  ministry  runs  thus:  '  One  of  two  modes  of  ordination  must  ob- 
taii) ;  we  must  either  acknowledge  a  regular,  continuous  descent  of  the 
ordaining  power,  tlirough  the  Catholic  and  Protestant  churches,  and  an 
nt;nEDiTARY  priesthood,  or  we  must  look  to  the  people  in  tlieir primary  assem- 
blies for  a  legitimate  cliristian  ministry,  and  continue  to  follow  out  the 
PLAN  in  Uie  spirit  and  MODE  in  wldch  it  at  first  began.  If  we  adopt  the 
former  mode,  viz :  a  priesthood  in  succession,  and  recognize  no  other  or- 
dinations as  legitimate,  we  regard  the  New  Church  in  no  other  light  than 
as  a  c jyitinuation  of  the  old,  and  not  as  separated  from  her  by  a  discrete 


172 


Powers  and  Prerogatives.        [Chap.  VII. 


165.  But,  that  the  measures  by  which  an  old  church  priest- 
hood became  lifted  up  and  established  in  the  New  Church,  and 
this  to  such  height  as  to  claim  that  the  authority,  power 
and  influx  of  priests  were  from  on  high, — that  priests 
are  divinely  appointed  to  the  priestly  office,  independently 
of  the  people, — or,  what  is  virtually  the  same  thing,  that 
•  the  measures  standing  in  hostile  array  against  freedom  in 
spiiitual  things  ;  against  the  heavenly  doctrine  of  co-ordination  ; 
against  equality  that  admits  of  no  Diotrephesian  superiority 
or  pre-eminence,  and  against  looking  to  the  people  in  their 
primary  assemblies  for  a  legitimate  christian  ministry, — might 
be  brouglit  into  light  and  exposed,  it  is  hereby  designed  to  far- 
ther glance  at  some  of  the  things  recorded  in  the  annals  of  the 
New  Church.  And,  in  the  first  place,  we  find,  that,  in  1816, 
(31st  of  December,)  Maskell  M.  Carll  was  ordained  by  J.  Har- 
grove to  be  a  PRIEST  and  minister  of  the  First  New  Jerusalem 
Church  in  the  city  of  Philadelphia,  with  power,  under  the  au- 
thority, and  at  the  request  of  the  church,  and  in  the  manner, 
and  under  such  restrictions  as  it  might  PREscRinE,  to  ordain 
o\hev  priests  and  ministers  of  the  New  Jerusalem  Church.  By 
this  transaction  the  church  exhibits  herself  as  in  the  vigor  of 
youth,  and  as  determined  to  retain  the  power  wherewith  heaven 
had  blessed  her,  in  her  o?m  hands,  so  that  she  might  thence 
govern  and  gird  herself,  as  of  herself,  from  the  Lord.  Whence, 
this  her  state  is  represented  by  Peter,  when  in  the  vigor  of 
youth,  to  whom  the  Lord  said,  '  When  thou  wast  young,  thou 
girdest  thyself,  and  walkedst  whither  thou  wouldst;  but  when 
thou  shall  be  old,  thou  shalt  stretch  forth  thy  hands,  and  another 
shall  gird  thee  and  carry  thee  whither  thou  wouldst  not.' 
(John,  xxi.  18.)  Naj',  tliat  the  church,  in  the  times  of  which 
we  are  speaking,  asserted  her  rights,  girded  herself,  and  toalked 
whither  she  would,  is  evident  from  the  form  of  ordination  then 
used,  and  which  reads  as  follows :  '  By  virtue  of  the  authority 
vested  in  me,  I  hereby  ordain  you,  with  power,  under  the  au- 
thority, and  at  the  request  of  the  society  in  C.  P.,  and  in  the 
manner,  and  under  sucli  rules  and  restrictions  as  they  [the  so- 
ciety] may  prescribe,  to  ordain  .other  priests  and  ministers  of 
the  New  Church.' — '/n  some  cases  the  form  was  varied,  so  as 
to  leave  out  the  authority  to  ordain  others.^  From  the  meas- 
ures or  things  thus  far  adduced,  it  is  evident,  that  the  dominat- 
ing principle,  indicative  of  an  old  church  priesthood,  had  as 
yet  no  place  whereon  to  rest  the  sole  of  its  foot  in  the  New 

degree — nay,  we  regard  the  New  Church  as  a  sect  of  llie  old,  which  we 
believe  has  passed  away  !  wo  fall  into  tlie  absunlity,  that  a  living  church 
can  be  derived  continuously  from  a  dead  carcase,  around  ichicli  (fie  eagles 
are  gallicred,''    (See  Precursor,  pp.  290,  291.) 


D.  Art.  3.]         Clerical  Measures  in  1817. 


173 


Church,  and  that  the  power  of  ordination  was  co-ordinate  with 
all  the  brethren.  (See  n.  45  to  55;  and  Precursor,  voL  2,  p. 
290,  and  vol.  3,  p,  137.) 

166.  Not  losing  sight  of  the  main  object,  namely,  the  meas- 
ures by  which  an  old  church  priesthood  became  elevated  and 
of  great  power  in  the  New  Church,  it  must  be  remembered, 
that  on  the  very  next  day  afier  the  ordination  of  M.  M.  Carll, 
[January  1,  1817,]  a  meeting  of  members  of  the  New  Church 
was  held  in  Philadelphia,  (J.  Hargrove  in  the  chair,)  wherein 
it  was  unanimously  resolved,  that  a  general  convention  or  coun- 
cil should  be  held  at  the  New  Jerusalem  Temple,  in  the  ciiy 
of  Philadelphia,  on  the  15th  of  May  the  same  year,  QlBlT,]  in 
order  to  consult  upon  the  general  concerns  of  the  church,  and 
(as  it  would  seem)  specifically  on  the  subject  of  ordinations, 
which  not  only  claimed  the  early  attention  of  the  clergy,  (Pre- 
cursor, vol.  2,  p.  291,)  but  tvas  kept  steadily  in  view  for  many 
years,  until,  finally,  'rt  standing  rule'  was  adopted  in  relation 
to  it.    (Precursor,  vol.  2,  p.  305.)    Accordingly  we  find,  that, 
in  this  Jirst  convention,  it  was  resolved,  that  a  committee  of 
clergy  and  laity  be  appointed  to  enquire  whether  it  be  expedi- 
ent to  establish  any,  and  if  any,  what  general  regulations  for 
the  ordination  of  mini'sters  in  the  New  Church;  and  that  they 
make  report  to  the  next  convention  !    Mark,  also,  that  at  this 
same  first  convention,  it  was  resolved,  that,  'As  the  churches 
of  Baltimore  and  Philadelphia  had  hitherto  exercised  the  power 
of  ordaining  ministers  with  great  discretion,  therefore  the  appli- 
cation of  D.  Powell  (who  had  presented  himself  as  a  candidate 
for  ordination)  should  be  referred  to  Messrs.  Hargrove  and 
Carll,  the  ministers  of  those  churches  !'    Here  we  see,  that  in 
the  very  first  council  or  convention  of  the  New  Church,  that 
measures  were  taken  to  elevate  the  crest  of  an  old  church  priest- 
hood.    For  why  was  it  submitted  to  a  committee,  consisting 
one-half  of  the  clergy,  \o  prescribe  laws,  rules  or  regulations  for 
the  ordination  of  ministers  in  the  New  Church  ?    Was  it  not 
because  the  co-ordinate  mode,  already  in  use,  ministered  no- 
thing to  the  lust  of  superiority,  of  pre-eminence,  or  to  that 
dominating  principle  which  is  as  the  very  soul  or  life  of  an 
old  church  priesthood?    Why  was  the  ordination  of  L>.  Powell 
referred  to  Messrs.  Hargrove  and  Carll?    Was  it  not  because 
its  reference  to  all  the  brethren,  as  being  of  one  accord  [co- 
ordinate]] and  in  the  same  place,  would  not  have  indicated  that 
the  clergy  were  in  a  different  and  more  elevated  place  than 
the  rest  of  the  brethren  ;  and  therefore,  would  have  been  very 
wounding  to  the  pride  and  self-conceit  of  an  old  church  priest- 
hood? 

15* 


174 


Powers  and  Prerogatives.        [Chap.  VII. 


167.  But,  pursuing  the  measures  before  spoken  of,  we  find, 
that  in  the  general  council  or  convention,  held  in  1818,  the 
following  clerical  prescriptions  were  reported  by  the  committee 
appointed  by  the  convention  preceding,  namely:  'In  order  to 
guard,  as  far  as  possible,  against  the  introduction  into  the 
ministry,  of  persons  who  do  not  [in  our  judgment]  possess 
sufficient  qualifications  to  render  the  sacred  office  of  the  priest- 
hood respected,  it  is  strongly  recommended  to  the  convention, 
to  express  it  as  their  desire,  that  no  person  shall  be  ordained 
to  the  ministry,  under  the  sanction  of  the  church  at  Baltimore 
or  at  Philadelphia,  without  the  approbation  of  the  ministers  of 
both  these  churches  !'  »  —  Laymen  should  confine  their  labors 
to  the  reading  of  the  Word,  the  Lord's  prayer,  and  to  such 
other  things  as  are  known  to  [us  to]  contain  the  orthodox  sen- 
timents of  the  church.^ — '  The  laity  do  not  receive  the  Divine 
influx  with  the  same /JO?<.*er,  nor  in  the  same  measure  into  their 
minds,  that  the  clergy  do  into  theirs.' — 'None  ought  to  teach 
truths  but  ministers  appointed  to  teach'  [by  us  who  are  of  the 
clergy  as  above  suggested.] — '  We  protest  against  the  practice, 
which  we  have  somewhere  heard  to  have  existed,  of  the  ad- 
ministration of  the  holy  sacraments  by  laymen  ;'  [that  is,  by 
men  whom  they  have  not  ordained.] — '  We  conceive  this  to  be 
a  dangerous  precedent,  fraught  with  more  injury  to  the  cause 
than  can  be  readily  imagined,'  etc.  (See  Precursor,  vol.  2,  p. 
292.)  Such  being  the  prescriptions  delivered  and  reported  to 
the  convention,  the  result  was,  that  a  resolution  or  decree  was 
forthwith  passed,  that  'No  person  shall  be  ordained  to  the  min- 
istry of  the  New  Church,  under  the  sanction  of  the  church  at 
Philadelphia  or  at  Baltimore,  without  the  consent  and  approba- 
tion of  the  ministers  of  both  these  cliurches  !' 

As  touching  all  wliich,  let  it  be  first  observed,  that  tlie  prin- 
ciple contained  in  the  above  clerical  prescription  may  justly  be 
exhibited  as  follows,  namely :  that  the  churches  of  Baltimore 
and  Philadelphia,  being  prior  in  point  of  time,  both  in  regaid 
to  their  organization,  and  to  their  setting  up  the  (so  called) 
sacred  order  of  the  priesthood,  therefore,  that  all  other  churches 
ought  to  be  in  subordination,  and  thence  to  bow  with  respect 
to  that  sacred  order — thus  essentially  to  an  old  church  priest- 
hood— so  as  to  constitute  it  the  judge  of  who  are  qualified  or 
unqualified  to  minister  to  them  the  TVord  of  Life,  or,  otherwise 
to  remain  unsanctioned  by  the  churches  at  Philadelphia  and 
Baltimore  ;  and  thence  excluded  from  their  fellowship.  But, 
because  it  is  evident,  that  all  other  churches  or  societies  had  an 
equal  right  to  originate  and  set  up  their  own  ministry,  with 
the  churches  aforesaid,  therefore  it  is  also  evident,  that  the 


D.  Art.  3.]      The  Report  of  1818  Analyzed. 


173 


principle  jiisl  noticed  is  grouiuled  in  tlie  hist  of  domination — 
at  war  with  co-ordination — and  utterly  false.  Nevertheless, 
it  appears,  tiiat  the  exercise  ol'  equal  and  co-ordinate  rights  by 
tlie  men  of  the  church,  being  that  which  the  clergy  of  the 
churches  aforesaid  dreaded  more  than  death  or  the  grave  itself, 
therefore  it  was,  that  they  proceeded  to  add,  that  laymen  (mean- 
ing whomsoever  they  had  not  consecrated  to  be  priests)  should 
confine  themselves  to  the  orthodox  sentiments  of  the  church; 
that  is,  to  the  sentiments  of  the  clergy  ;  boasting,  at  the  same 
time,  of  the  superior  illustralion  of  the  clergy,  (meaning  them- 
selves ;)  and  then  declaring  that  tliey  have  somewhere  heard  to 
have  existed  the  administration  of  the  holy  sacraments  by  lay- 
men.' From  ail  which,  a  pretty  fair  specimen  of  the  ways, 
means  and  measures  devised  by  the  clergy,  whereby  to  elevate 
themselves  to  become  superior  and  pre-eminent,  to  have  power 
and  dominion,  is  atlbrded  and  exiiibiied.  And  not  only  so, 
but,  we  regret  to  say,  that  from  the  resolution  passed  in  con- 
vention, as  above  noticed,  the  clergy  succeeded  in  causing  the 
men  of  the  church  to  apparently  assist  them  in  elevating  the 
crest  of  an  old  church  priesthood  in  the  New  Church  of  the 
Lord  ;  and,  at  the  same  time,  in  apparently  binding  or  girding 
her  with  the  false  principle  just  noticed  ;  whatever  unrecorded 
resistance  she,  at  that  time,  may  have  made  against  it.  '  Jiict 
when  thou  shalt  be  old  another  shall  gird  thee  and  carry  thee 
whither  thou  woiddst  not.''  (John,  xxi.  18.) 

168.  With  a  view  to  the  measures  under  consideration,  we 
find,  that  in  1820,  in  convention,  the  committee  which  had 
been  appointed  in  1817,  and  which,  as  we  have  seen  reported 
so  notably  in  1818,  now  reported,  that  they  were  not  ready  to 
fully  report,  and  were  continued;  and,  that  the  journal  of  the 
convention  for  1821,  takes  no  notice  of  any  report  from  that 
committee  ;  but  that  in  1822,  a  committee,  which  had  been 
previously  appointed  to  take  into  consideration  the  best  means 
of  disseminating  and  promoting  a  knowledge  of  the  doctrine  of 
the  New  Jerusalem,  made  a  report,  closing  with  several  resolu- 
tions, in  relation  to  the  qualifications  of  ministers,  which  be- 
came standing  rules  of  order,  (rr) 

(rr)  Wilkins  in  his  Letters  observes,  that  in  \&22,  the  priesthood  in  the 
New  Church  was  exhibited  as  follows : 

ORDAINING  MINISTERS.  MINISTCRS.  LICENTIATES. 

J.  Hargrove,  A.  Hurdiis,  Samuel  Worcester, 

M.  M.  C^arll,  D.  Powell,  Thomas  Worcester, 

Dr.  Beers,  R.  H,  Goe,  Nathaniel  Holley, 

C.  J.  Doughty.  Thomas  Newport. 

'Here  we  see,  in  the  full  tide  of  apparently  successful  experiment,'  that 
abominalion  of  an  old  church  priesthood  called  Ei-jscoPAcy,  involviog 


176 


Powers  and  Prerogatives.        [Chap.  VII. 


Nevertheless,  it  appears,  that  the  attempts  of  an  old  church 
priesthood  to  gird  upon  the  neck  of  the  New  Church  the  yoke 
of  subordination,  had  hitherto  been  rather  unsuccessful;  and, 
that  her  being  thence  girded,  as  suggested  in  the  number  just 
preceding,  was  rather  an  appearance  than  a  reality;  for,  not- 
withstanding the  wise  prescriptions  of  the  clergy  in  '18,  along 
with  their  hobgoblin  cry  of  having  someivhere  heard  of  men 
presuming,  Mordecai  like,  to  occupy  a  place  in  the  king's 
gate  without  bowing  to  them  and  reverencing  them,  fsee  Es- 
ther, iii.  2,)  yet  we  find,  that  in  '21,  the  men  of  the  New 
Church  in  convention  rosolved,  that  'with  respect  to  church 
discipline,  every  society  should  be  left  perfectly  free  to  adopt 
such  laws  of  government  as  such  society  may  deem  proper  to 
its  own  state  and  circumstances;  and  that,  in  '22,  they  resolved, 
lhat  their  brethren  in  the  Western  country  might  form  such 
district  conventions  as  in  their  judgments  might  appear  best. 
Whence  we  see  the  New  Church  girding  iierself  thus  far,  and 
walking  wJiilher  she  woidd  in  defiance  of  an  old  church  priest- 
hood.   (See  the  .lournals.) 

169.  But  the  clergy,  longing  as  it  were  with  groanings  un- 
utterable, to  have  it  acknowledged  that  their  power,  authority, 
influx,  adaptation,  etc.,  was  immediately  from  on  high,  and  not 
from  the  people,  and,  consequently,  to  seize  upon  tiie  dominion 
over  the  heritage  of  the  Lord,  could  do  no  otiier  tlian  nauseate 
the  spirit  or  principle  of  co-ordination,  manifested  in  the  reso- 


different  degrees  of  external,  worldly  and  invidious  distinction.  And  not 
only  so,  but,  as  if  the  clergy,  then  claiming  to  be  of  the  New  Church,  iiad 
been  the  genuine  successors  of  Aciian,  and  had  therefore,  each  of  tliein, 
STOLEN  a  goodly  Babi/limiun  garment,  (seen.  157,)  '  it  was  customary,' 
says  VVilkius,  '  for  the  clergy  to  make  use  of  the  ckricul  dress  which  is 
used  in  the  Episcopal  iliurcli.  The  surplice,  gotvn,  Ijands,  etc.,  worn 
by  them  rREcisELv  after  the  manner  of  the  [consummated]  Episcopal 
churc/i.^  Nay,  farther,  the  clergy  ciiiiming  to  be  of  the  New  Cliurch, 
throuijh  the  instrumentality  of  one  of  their  supposed  sacred  order,  ac- 
knowledge all,  yea  more  than  is  here  laid  to  iheir  charge!  For  they 
thence  acknowledge,  that  they  used  a  liturgy,  aftrr  the  manner  of  the 
Episcopal  cinirch;  that  they  ado|)ted  ihe  satne  ceremonials,  su<:h  as  rising 
wyj  and  Icneeling  down  in  certain  parts  of  the  service;  the  dress  o(  the 
priest,  (tlie  goivn  and  other  Habylonian  parapharnalia;)  the  reading  of 
the  service  in  one  place,  and  the  delivering  of  the  sermon  in  another,  along 
with  the  rule  requiring  written  sermons,  as  well  as  outward  degrees  of 
dignity  I'  And  the  reason  assigned  why  they  stole  so  many  rags,  patches 
and  gaudy  trappings  from  the  mother  of  abominations,  is,  (strange  to  tell !) 
^because  it  was  thmighl  that  such  things  were  as  orderly  and  itEsrECTADLE 
as  any;  and  from  a  strong  desire  that  the  first  public  [clerical]  ministra- 
tions of  the  New  Church  should,  by  their  i-ropriktv  and  decorum,  silence 
oppositimi  and  ridicule.'^  (Com[)are  with  Precursor,  vol.  3,  p.  23;  with 
Boston  Magazine,  p.  334,  and  with  n.  18,  articles  1:2  to  16.) 


D.  All.  3.]       Clerical  Proceedings  in  1823. 


177 


lulions  of  1821  end  '22;  (see  number  just  preceding;)  whence 
we  Hiid,  tliiU  in  1S23,  aiioiliei  c^iiimiltee  was  appointed,  (con- 
sisting ol'  one  of  the  chirgy  and  two  of  the  laity,)  to  draw  up 
rules  ol"  order  for  the  regulation  of  future  conventions;  and  to 
report  at  tiie  next  convention; — and  that,  accordingly,  in  1824, 
(in  convention,)  they  reported,  that  '  Until  it  be  deemed  ad- 
visable to  change  the  nature  and  character  of  this  assembly,  it 
will  be  iinnecessary  to  form  a  specicd  code  of  laws!  (Sec  the 
Journals  for  these  years.)  Here  we  see  the  church  again  gird- 
ing iierself,  and  walking  forth  into  the  wide  fields  of  gospel 
freedom,  and  bidding  defiance  to  the  nefarious  schemes  of  an 
old  cliurch  priesthood  to  gird  upon  her  fair  neck  the  yoke  of 
subordination,  by  means  of  their  tradiiions  and  commandments 
of  men.  The  report  of  this  conimillee  being  interpreted,  is 
this  :  that  until  the  New  ('liurcli  convention  becomes  changed 
into  an  old  church  legislative  council,  thus  into  a  worldlij  sanc- 
tuary, where  the  strife  is  who  shall  be  greatest,  no  other  laws 
tlian  the  laws  of  God,  laid  in  his  Word,  are  needful  or  neces- 
sary ! 

170.  Nevertheless,  the  ambition  of  the  clergy,  it  seems, 
would  not  sutler  tliem  to  let  things  rest  according  to  the  report 
of  1821;  and,  seeing  no  way  to  obtain  that  power,  authority 
and  dominion  they  so  much  lusted  after,  but  by  the  way 
of  ecclesiastical  laws  of  church  government,  therefore  it  was, 
that,  in  1825,  a  committee  (consisting  of  four  of  the  clergy  and 
four  of  the  laity)  was  appointed  to  take  into  consideration  the 
subject  of  organizing  the  convention,  and  also  the  several  church- 
es of  the  New  Cliurcli,  in  this  country,  into  some  form  of  eccle- 
siastical government.  This  committee,  under  tlie  mfluence  of 
tlie  clergy  contained  in  it,  reported  (on  the  next  day)  that  it 
was  '  sensible  that  some  7nore  definite  mode  or  order  of  ecclesi- 
astical government  than  that  existing,  should  be  adopted  by 
the  convention  !  and  therefore,  that  the  several  societies  be  re- 
quested to  send  in  by  tiieir  delegates,  or  otherwise,  to  the  next 
convention,  their  sentiments  upon  the  rnode  of  ecclesiastical 
government  to  be  adopted.'  Here  observe,  that  when  men  lose 
eight  of  the  laws  of  order,  according  to  which  the  Loid  has 
established  and  governs  his  cliurch,  they  straightway  are  prompt- 
ed by  those  feelings  called  sensible  or  sensual,  to  grope  after 
some  more  definite  mode  of  government  in  the  church  than  that 
existing  and  which  will  exist  forever.  When  the  heart  of  a 
man  departs  from  the  Lord,  the  consequence  is,  that  he  puts 
his  trust  in  man,  and  mai^s'the  more- definite  arm  of  flesh  his 
stay!  Whence,  in  so  far  as  the  New  Church  adopted  the  re- 
port in  question,  in  so  far  she  apparently  suflfered  herself  to 


178^ 


Powers  and  Prerogatives. 


[Chap.  VII. 


become  girded  and  led  by  an  old  church  priesthood.  But,  at 
the  same  time,  as  if  to  mak»  amends  for  the  appearance  of 
yielding  to  the  schemes  of  the  clergy,  she  resolved,  that  '  A  can- 
didate for  ordination  must  present  himself  before  the  church  in 
convention,  and  there  receive  oidination  ;  otherwise  the  candid- 
ate shall  present  a  cerliticate  of  approbation  frotn  the  conven- 
tion to  any  one  or  more  of  the  ordaining  ministers,  and  then 
receive  ordination  at  his  or  their  hands.'  (See  Precursor,  vol. 
2,  p.  305.)  Thus  far  we  see,  tliat  the  essence  of  ordination 
was  co-ordinate  u-ith  all  the  brethren;  and  that  the  clergy  were 
of  no  particular  use  in  the  case,  except  to  perform  the  ceremo- 
nial or  mechanical  part  of  the  service.  Tiius  also,  tliat  hitherto 
the  church  girded  herself,  and  walked  whither  she  would  in 
perfect  freedom. 

171.  Bui,  pursuing  those  measures  calculated  to  elevate  the 
crest  of  an  old  church  priesthood  in  the  New  Church  still  far- 
ther, we  find,  that  in  1826,  as  if  the  clergy  had  been  infected 
witli  the  itch  of  ecclesiastical  late  making,  as  with  the  Egypti- 
an botch,  another  committee  was  appointed,  (part  clergy  and 
part  lail}',)  '  to  consider  the  propriety  of  establishing  a  more 
orderly  form  of  ecclesiastical  government ;  and  particularly  as 
it  relates  to  the  clergy.^  Here  the  same  subject  as  that  pro- 
posed last  year,  is  to  be  again  considered ;  but  with  more  espe- 
cial reference  to  the  subject  of  tlie  clergy.  Whence,  the  com- 
mittee accordingly  reported,  that  they  were  aware  of  the  anxious 
desire  of  the  brethren  to  come  into  an  orderly  arrangement  of 
ecclesiastical  government;  that  it  is  a  prevailing  sentiment, 
that  a  trine  exists  in  the  clergy  ;  but,  that  the  time  of  setting 
up  a  consecrated  First,  or  universal  Bishop  in  America,  and 
the  establishment  of  the  government  thence  resulting,  had  not 
yet  arrived.'  Whereupon,  the  convention  (now  composed  of 
delegates  and  the  clergy,  instead  of  simple  New  Church  men) 
proceeded  to  resolve,  that  '  liiey  are  disposed  to  be  contented, 
for  the  PRESENT,  with  the  order  now  subsisting  in  the  New 
Church,  inasmuch,  as  for  all  necessary  purposes,  a  threefold 
principle  has  been  recognized,  and  does  in  fact  exist  in  the 
ministry,  by  the  usage  heretofore  adopted  in  the  church,  in  the 
establishment  of  the  several  ecclesiastical  offices  of  licentiates, 
priests,  and  ordaining  ministers.'  Of  these  proceedings,  JJ'il- 
kins  observes,  (p.  22,)  that  '  certain  principles  are  recognized, 
and  others  more  than  hinted  at.'  Every  thing  is  looked  at,  in 
refeicnce  to  future  action,  and  this  at  no  very  distant  day;  and 
no  doubt  can  exist  as  to  the  episcop^  tendencies  of  this  con- 
vention.' This  is  as  if  he  had  said,  that  no  doubt  can  exist 
but  that  the  proceedings  had  in  this  convention  tended  to  the 


D.  Art.  3.]     Memorable  Clerical  Report  of  1829. 


elevation  of  an  old  diiirch  priesthood  ;  that  is,  tlie  priesthood 
of  the  old  Episcopal  church  of  England  in  and  over  the  New 
Church  of  the  Lord.  Whence,  he  adds,  'Societies  are  invited 
to  continue  freely  to  ofier  their  opinions,'  etc.  'Thus[ihe 
clergy]  doing  what  they  could  to  keep  the  subject  up,  as  a 
matter  for  action  at  succeeding  conventions,  until  their  object 
should  be  attained.'  That  is,  until  degrees  of  dignity  and  do- 
minion should  be  awarded  to  them,  as  rights  appertaining  to 
their  office.  To  which,  let  it  be  added,  that,  by  the  proceed- 
ings had  in  this  convention,  the  clergy  apparently  succeeded 
in  laying  a  train  of  measures,  by  which,  at  some  future  day, 
to  gird  the  New  Church,  and  lead  her  whither  she  ivould  not. 

172.  From  the  measures  noticed  in  the  number  just  preceding, 
it  were  quite  rational  to  conclude,  that  the  clergy  would  never 
abandon  the  darling  object,  end  and  aim  of  their  ambition,  until 
they  had  at  least  exhausted  the  last  shred  of  tlieir  cunning  and 
ingenuity  to  obtain  it.    Accordingly,  we  find,  that  in  1828, 
instead  of  prosecuting  the  measures  before  prescribed,  adopted 
and  put  in  train,  they  contented  themselves,  at  this  time,  with 
collecting  and  arranging  the  rides  and  regulations  of  preceding 
conventions.    The  reason  doubtless  was,  that,  seeing  the  things 
pioposed  at  the  preceding  convention,  involving  such  things  as 
external  degrees  of  invidious  distinction  in  tlie  clergy,  and 
withal,  a  head  bishop  or  pope  sounded  rather  harshly  and  dis- 
cordantly in  the  ears  of  the  New  Church,  consequently  time 
must  be  given,  in  which  to  familiarize  her  ears  to  that  which 
at  first  offended  tliem  ;  and  to  familiarize  her  sight  to  that 
which  at  first  might  have  affrighted  her.    Nay,  that  such  is 
indeed  a  just  exhibition  of  the  cunning  and  ingenuily  of  the 
clergy,  appears  quite  manifest  from  this,  that  in  the  next  con- 
vention, in  1829,  it  was  proposed  that  the  convention  should 
resign  and  relinquish  to  the  ordaining  ministers,  the  power  of 
licensing  and  ordaining.    This  proposal  was  referred  to  a 
committee,  at  the  head  of  which  were  the  clergy  ;  consequently, 
the  report  was,  that  such  power  ought  to  be  relinquished  to 
the  clergy,  and  that  it  of  right  appertained  to  them  ;  but,  for 
certain  reasons,  the  consideration  of  the  subject  ought  to  be 
indefinitely  postponed! !    Whatever  may  have  been  the  ost^fi,- 
sible  reasons  offered,  why  the  resolution  in  queslior^  should  be* 
indefinitely  postponed^  the  genuine  reason  'bubtless  was,  that 
that  time  ought  to  be  given,  so  that  the  ears  of  the  church 
might  become  familiarized  to  it ;  and,  that  it  would  be  premu' 
ture  to  adopt  it  previous  to  the  church's  becoming  reconciUd 
to  its  harshnes.s  and  discordance;  or,  what  is  the  same  thing, 
to  the  evil  and' false  on  the  head  and  front  of  it.    Nay,  th,a\ 


180 


Powers  and  Prerogatives. 


[Chap.  VII. 


such  are  the  genuine  reasons  why  the  consideration  of  tlie  sub- 
ject involved  in  tlie  resolution  was  postponed,  is  evident  from 
this,  that  no  good  reason  can  be  given  why  the  practice*  of  a 
righteous  and  just  principle  sliould  be  postjioned  at  all,  much 
less,  why  its  righteousness  should  not  be  taken  into  considera- 
tion ;  and  still  less,  why  men  shonUl  act  or  practice  from  a 
false  principle  rather  than  a  true  one!  !  But,  that  the  reasons, 
as  given  above,  are  tlie  true  reasons  of  the  postponement,  and 
that  the  cunning  thence  exiiibited  is  true  clerical  cunning,  craft, 
OY priestcraft,  becomes  still  more  evident  from  this,  that,  at  the 
same  convention,  '29,  a  committee  of  the  clergy  being  apjioinl- 
ed  for  the  purpose  of  defining  the  respective  duties  of  the  three 
degrees  or  orders  of  the  clergy,  gravely  reported,  in  1830,  that 
'■they  do  not  feel  adequate  to  define  the  duties  of  the  different 
orders  of  the  clergy!''  The  reason  why  they  did  not  feel  adequate 
to  the  task,  appears  to  be  this,  that  they  well  know,  that  should 
they  exhibit  their  views  and  elahns,  in  relation  to  degrees  of  ex- 
ternal dignity  at  that  lime  lo  tlie  church, — and  especiall)-,  as  they 
have  been  since  exhibited  in  tlie  Boston  Magazine,  p.  345, — 
they  thence  would  have  alarmed  her,  and  driven  her  forever 
from  their  support.  Nay,  they  well  knew,  that,  at  tiiat  time, 
the  sound  of  such  things  as  mitred  prelates,  parish  priests  and 
curates,  in  the  ears  of  the  chuich,  when  associated  with  the 
idea  of  their  actually  bearing  rule  over  her,  would  be  not  only 
unharmonious,  but  utterly  discordant.  But,  that  such  are  the 
genuine  reasons  wh\'  the  clergy  felt  inadequate  to  define  the 
respective  uses  or  duties  of  the  ditTerent  dignities  claimed  by 
them,  appears  ma'nilest  from  this,  that  no  good  reason  can  ever 
be  assigned,  why  dignities  should  be  claimed  by  men,  or  award- 
ed to  them,  whilst  they  remain  either  ignorant  of  their  uses, 
or  inadequate  to  fully  define  them.  Whence,  in  relation  to  the 
measures  and  proceedings  here  adduced,  all  tending  ultimately 
to  elevate  an  old  church  priesthood,  it  may  be  observed,  that 
the  New  Church  may  be  conceived  as  neither  girding  herself 
resolutely,  nor  as  yet  sufVering  herself  to  be  girded  by  the  cler- 
gy;  thus  she  may  be  looked  upon  as  now  standing  in  the  atti- 
tude of  astonishment,  wondering  rvhereunto  these  things,  so 
strongly  indicative  of  the  wrath  of  an  old  church  priesthood, 
ivould  grow ;  but  occasionally  throwing  obstacles  in  the  waj', 
in  the  shape  of  modest  inquiries,  so  as,  if  possible,  to  check 
the  clergy  in  their  ambitious  and  mad  career,  (ss) 

(^ss)  In  those  dny»,  the  nobh;  and  generous  feelings  of  New  Church  men 
were  continually  shocked,  and  their  laces  ninntlcd  with  the  deep  blush 
of  shame,  at  the  shameless  effrontery  of  tlie  clergy,  in  their  claiming  lythcs 
[the  tenth  of  all]  as  their  priestly  dues.    The  entrails  of  the  eagles,  which 


D.  Art.  3.]     Celebrated  Clerical  Report  in  \^%\.  181 


173.  But,  pursuing  the  measures  under  consideration  still 
farther,  we  find,  that  in  1831,  a  clerical  or  ecclesiastical  com- 
mittee reported  the  following  things,  nanrjely :  that  '  every  so- 
ciety should  have  the  leading  doctrines  of  the  church  drawn  up, 
in  the  form  of  articles  of  faith,  which  should  be  signed  by  all 
the  members  of  the  society ;  and  that  all  the  candidates  for 
admission  be  required  to  make  public  profession  of  their  faith 
in  those  doctrines  ;  of  their  desire  to  live  according  to  them  ; 
and  of  their  desire  to  join  the  society  for  that  purpose.'  Far- 
ther, '  that  individuals  wishing  to  form  themselves  into  a  society 
should  make  known  their  desire  to  some  society  already  estab- 
lished ;  that,  in  the  presence  of  such  society  or  delegates  from 
it,  they  should  openly  profess  their  faith  in  the  doctrines  of  the 
New  Church;  and  that  every  clergyman  ,aOJt  "'ho  officiates  in 
forming  any  society,  as  above,  should  report  the  same  to  the 


had  gMtherctl  around  the  carcase  of  the  consumninted  church,  were  now 
impeded  wilh  grtvit  niiiiutciicss  by  Ihc  clergy,  to  the  end  that  they  might 
see  whether  something  theucc,  Oi/  dint  of  augury,  could  not  be  made  to 
favor  priestly  tylkes.  And,  from  the  inspection  of  a  continent  of  filth, 
they  did  indeed  find  in  the  entrails  of  one,  [that  is  Grolius,]  that  'a  man 
has  ten  Jin<rcrs  and  Iocs:  ergo,  pries/s  ought  to  have  the  tenth  of  all!'  This 
augury,  or  argnmc7U  of  Grotius — like  that  of  tlie  pope,  (who  alleged,  be- 
cause God  had  inade  two  great  lights,  the  greater  light  to  rule  the  day, 
and  the  lesser  light  to  rule  tne  night,  that  therefore  his  [the  pope's]  great- 
ness and  dignity  was  of  a  far  higher  degree  than  that  even  of  the  emperor 
himself,) — was  by  the  clergy  conceived  equal  to  Hdli/  Writ: 

'  For  mortals,  howsoc'er  the  fates  incline, 

Expound  all  omens  to  their  own  design:' 
and  New  Church  men  must  now  undergo  'he  persecution  of  hearing  abund- 
antly that  toonderful  lesson  from  the  priests'  lips,  that  'a  man  has  ten 
fingers  and  ten  toes  I'  Whence  it  resulted,  that  all  those  who  saw  fit, 
like  good  stewards  of  the  manifold  grace  of  God,  to  minister  the  same  to 
others,  without  taking  note  of  fingers  and  Iocs,  or  of  tythes  thence,  were 
in  these  days  reproved  and  rebuked  as  disorderly  by  the  clergy,  who  al- 
leged that  no  blessing  could  ever  attend  Vie  labors  of  a  minister  of  the  gospel 
uiho  neglected  to  take  tylhes  of  his  hearers!  Thus  manifesting  themselves 
to  be,  comparatively,  like  an  imperious  harlot,  who  looks  with  indigna- 
tion on  her  fellow  female,  yet  a  virgin,  and  will  not  become  reconciled  to 
her,  until  she  becomes  equally  corrupt  with  herself  !  But,  should  not  the 
clergy  be  admonished  by  the  Word  of  the  Lord,  and  thence  take  shame'? 
Or  will  it  not  indeed  shame  them  to  find,  that  in  the  Word  of  the  Lord 
they  are  pointed  out  as  '■greedy  dogs  which  can  never  have  enough,  and 
which  look  to  their  own  way,  every  one  for  his  gain  from  his  oiun  quarter? 
(Isa.,  liv.  15) — or,  to  find  themselves  in  company  with  the  prophets  who 
<■  divine  forvioney;^  'who  bite  v/ith  their  teeth  and  cry  peace  I  and  who 
wage  war  against  him  t\\^t  pulteth  not  in  their  mouth?'' — and  in  company 
with  priests  who  leach  for  hire,  but  yet  lean  upon  the  Lord,  and  say,  is  not 
the  Lord  amongus;  none  evil  can  conie  upon  us?  (Micah,  ii.  12,  and  iii, 
11.)  But  ivoe  to  him  that  ludeth  himself  with  thick  clay,  that  he  may  set 
his  nest  on  high.  (Hab.,  ii.  11.) 


1S2 


Powers  and  Prerogatives.        £Chap.  VII. 


next  convention.'    This  report,  because  it  was  adopted  by  tbe 
convention,  therefore  became,  to  all  intents  and  purposes,  no 
other  than  what  is  understood  by  an  ecclesiastical  law,  involving 
articles  of  faiih ;  and  is,  therefore,  in  the  estimation  of  every 
genuine  New  Church  man,  no  other  than  a  part  and  parcel  of 
the  precepts  and  commandments  of  men,  calling  themselves 
the  clergy; — but  by  the  fearing  or  teaching  of  which,  it  is  in 
vain  to  think  to  worship  the  Lord.    Ten  years  previous  to  the 
time  of  which  we  are  speaking,  when  the  roarings  of  an  old 
church  priesthood  were  less  6o2s/erou5  in  the  conveniions  of  the 
New  Church,  she  was  heard  plainly  to  declare,  that  '  with 
respect  to  church  discipline,  every  society  should  be  left  per- 
fectly free  to  adopt  such  laws  of  government  as  such  society 
may  adjudge  proper  to  its  own  state  and  circumstances.''  (See 
n.  168.)    But  now  the  voice  of  the  clergy  and  their  instruments 
in  the  convention  prevailing  over  that  of  the  New  Church,  the 
result  is,  that  recipients  of  the  heavenly  doctrines,  wishing  to 
form  themselves  into  a  society,  must  go  to  a  society  already 
formed,  and  this,  not  for  any  reason  that  can  be  assigned,  but, 
contrariwise,  that  they  might  at  the  very  outset  be  brought  under 
the  yoke  of  subordination  to  the  clergy.    Nay,  farther,  the 
result  is,  that  orthodox  standards  of  faith  must  now  be  drawn 
tip  J    By  whom?    The  clergy,  surely!    And  New  Church 
men  must  go  away  back  to  subscribe  to,  or  kiss  the  ensigns  or 
standards  which  the  clergy  have  set  up  ;  and  which,  representa- 
tively, were  to  go  back  from  Jerusalem  to  Bethel  and  Dan, 
to  kiss  the  calves  which  Jeroboam  had  there  set  up!  Whence, 
with  David,  New  Church  men  may  yet  exclaim,  '  Thine  ene- 
mies, O  Lord,  have  roared  in  the  midst  of  thy  conventions; 
and  they  have  set  tip  their  ensigns  for  signs!    They  lift  up 
their  horn  on  high  ;  they  speak  with  a  stiff  neck  !^  (Ps-i  Ixxiv. 
4  to  7,  and  Ixxv.  5.)    It  is  therefore  acknowledged,  with  deep 
regret,  that  the  clergy,  influenced  by  the  indignation  of  an  old 
church  priesthood,  did,  on  this  occasion,  succeed  in  apparently 
binding  or  girding  the  New  CImrcli,  so  as  to  lead  her  whither 
she  woidd  not.    But  because,  in  a  land  of  civil  liberty,  the 
genuine  servants  of  God  cannot  be  really  bound  by  priestly 
precepts  or  commandments,  therefore  it  is,  that  from  the  time 
of  which  we  ate  speaking,  New  Church  men  may  be  looked 
upon  as  members  of  the  convention  only  so  far  as  might  be 
necessary  to  obtain  a  clear  view  of  the  ambitious  schemes  of 
the  clergy,  and  thence  to  throw  obstacles  in  the  way  of  their 
insane  career,  as  before  suggested  ;  and,  in  all  other  respects, 
to  have  entered  into  \he'\T0W)i  chambers,  according  to  the  Word 
of  the  Lord  by  Isaiah,  saying,  '  Come  my  people,  enter  thou 


D.  Art.  3.]     Clerical  Committees  Charged— 183 


into  ihy  chambers,  and  shut  the  doors  about  thee;  hide  thyself 
a  little  moment  till  the  indignation  be  overpast,  (xxvi.  20.) 
See  n.  48,  article  12. 

174.  Keeping  in  view  the  same  measures  as  in  the  preceding, 
we  find,  that  at  ilie  same  convention,  Q831,]  a  committee  con- 
sisting of  the  clergy  and  laity  was  again  appointed  to  prepare 
rules  and  orders  for  the  future  government  of  conventions,  and 
report  at  the  next  convention.  Also,  another  committtee  was 
appointed  to  consider  the  subject  of  a  more  perfect  organization 
of  the  general  convention.  Here  we  see,  that  the  clergy  con- 
tinue from  year  to  year  to  be  infected  ivith  the  itch  of  ecclesi- 
astical law-making,  as  with  an  incurable  disease!  We  say 
the  clergy;  and  for  this  good  reason,  that  laymen  in  their 
proper  senses  never  aid  or  assist  in  framing,  enacting  and  es- 
tablishing ecclesiastical  laws;  and  the  reason  why  they  never 
should  aid  in  this  work,  is,  because  there  is  nothing,  either 
earthly  or  heavenly,  that  they  can  ever  gain  by  it;  but,  contra- 
riwise, much  to  lose,  yea,  that  which  is  dearer  than  life  itself, 
namely,  freedom,  not  only  in  relation  to  the  things  of  this  world, 
but  also  in  relation  to  the  things  of  the  world  to  come.  But 
the  case  is  altogether  difTerent  with  respect  to  the  clergy  ;  for, 
although  it  be  indeed  true,  that  they  can  gain  nothing  of  heaven 
by  ecclesiastical  legislation,  but,  contrariwise,  lose  much  of  it, 
if  not  all,  yet  they,  by  means  of  it,  stand  a  pretty  fair  chance 
to  gain  that  which  they  perhaps  love  infinitely  better,  namely, 
TYTiiEs,  honors,  dignities,  power,  influence,  great  authority, 
extensive  dominion,  and,  to  crown  all,  the  crown  of  ordination 
itself,  by  means  of  which  to  provide  for  an  everlasting  succes- 
sion !  !  Laymen,  then,  (supposing  there  are  such,)  in  the  New 
Church,  knowing  that,  agreeably  to  the  order  according  to 
which  God  has  established  the  church,  all  the  men  thereof  are 
co-ordinate,  no  one  acknowledging  any  other  superior  to  him- 
self but  the  Lord,  must  needs  know  that  they  cannot  assist  in 
the  establishment  of  a  different  order  in  the  church,  tending  to 
elevate  any  one  a  single  degree  above  the  plain  of  co-ordina- 
tion, without  at  the  same  time  insanely  assisting  to  sink  them- 
selves two  degrees  into  the  vale  of  sub- ordination — no  more 
than  they  can  transfer  a  certain  quantity  in  an  equation  to  the 
opposite  side  without  destroying  the  equation.  Whence,  lay- 
men (that  is,  those  whom  the  priesthood  of  the  old  church  from 
the  lust  of  dominion  have  called  such,  and  whom,  while  treating 
of  that  priesthood,  we  are  obliged  to  designate  by  that  title,  for 
the  sake  of  distinction)  having  nothing  of  either  earth  or  heaven 
to  gain  by  ecclesiastical  laws,  but  everything  to  lose  that  was 
lost  before  in  the  night  of  Antichrist,  it  is  therefore  preposterous. 


Powers  and  Prerogatives. 


[Chap.  VII. 


yea,  ridiculous,  to  exhibit  laymen  as  lusting  after  ecclesiastical 
legislation,  equally  with  the  clergy,  who  might  thence  hope  to 
attain  to  dominion  and  glory — and  who  might  thence  hope  to 
cover  up  and  hide  their  [perhapsj  threadbare  souls  in  silken 
honors.'  It  is  true,  indeed,  that  it  may  frequently  have  appear- 
ed as  if  laymen,  namely,  New  Church  men  not  of  the  clergy, 
did  assist  the  clergy  in  framing  and  establishing  ecclesiastical 
laws  ;  nevertheless,  that  sucli  is  not  the  reality  is  quite  discov- 
erable from  what  here  follows,  viz  :  that  the  instruments  with 
which  a  man  works  may  justly  be  conceived  as  a  continuation 
of  his  arms,  hands,  or  fingers  ;  thus  as  so  many  members  of  his 
own  body; — thus  also  it  is,  that  although  D,  in  building  a 
house,  uses  axes,  saws,  hammers,  etc.,  yet  we  never  say  that 
these  built  the  house;  but  we  say,  in  such  case,  that  D.  built 
the  house  with  his  own  hands;  and  the  instruments  used,  being 
only  a  continuation  of  the  power  of  his  hands,  are  tlierefore 
scarctlij  ever  thought  of.  Whence  it  may  be  seen,  that  tliose 
■who  assist  the  clergy  in  bringing  the  laity  under  suborilination 
by  means  of  ecclesiastical  laws,  instead  of  being  in  reality  of 
the  laity,  are  none  other  than  the  instruments  of  the  clergy,  by 
which  to  effect  their  great  object,  end  and  aim.  They  are  the 
continuation  of  power  in  the  hands  of  the  clergy,  whereby  to 
defeat  the  laity,  comparatively  like  the  club  in  the  hands  of  Cain, 
wherewith  to  kill  Abel,  his  innocent  and  co-ordinate  brother! 
Wherefore,  being  instruments  of  the  clergy,  they  are  therefore 
essentially  members  of  the  clergy,  and  not  of  the  laiiy  by  any 
means.  From  all  which,  it  is  plain  enough,  that  the  term  clergy 
or  priesthood 'm\o\\  es  \n  n  all  the  instruments  or  members  ot 
the  body  thereof,  equally  with  the  body  itself;  thus,  also,  the 
reason  now  manifests  itself,  why  it  was  given  above  (see  the 
begiiming  of  this  article)  to  attribute  the  lust  of  ecclesiastical 
legislation  to  the  clergy  exclusively.  (It)    As  touching  the 

(It)  Spurzheiiii  virtually  exhibits  the  following,  viz:  that  'the  ignorant 
are  satisfied  with  faith,  without  reasoning  much  about  it ;'  tliat  '  they  bow 
in  submission  to  every  coimnantlinent  of  their  ghostly  priests  proposed  as 
divine that  '  they  altacli  themselves  more  to  him  who  announces  tlie  law, 
than  to  the  Lord  himselflhe  true  lawgiver,  thus  than  they  do  to  the  la\^ 
itself;'  that  'they  are  most  ready  to  enibraco  that  religion  which  Hatters 
the  selfish  feelings  of  man  to  the  greatest  amount;'  and  that,  on  the  other 
hand, '  pretended  ministers  of  God'  and  devouring  wolves  of  the  slieep  of 
iiis  pasture  •  have  ever  presented  ignorance  as  virnie,  and  the  public  in- 
vestigation of  truth  as  faction  and  sedition;'  whence,  that  '  their  inter- 
pretations of  the  Word  [ecclesiastical  laws]  not  agreeing  with  the  innate 
jaws  of  intellect,  tliey  found  it  the  more  convenient  to  interdict  the  free 
exercise  of  rciison,  than  to  show  that  their  laws  or  creeds  were  reasonable.' 
Again;  'The  love  of  domination  is  ministered  to  by  the  ignorance  and 
servility  of  the  people.    He  who  begins  by  subjecting  a  few  servile  souls 


D.  Art.  3.3     Clerical  Communication  of  1832. 


185 


question,  why  it  was,  that  laymen  were  appointed  to  serve  on 
committees  designed  to^jrcscrtiefrnf/projoosceccclesiaslical  laws, 
it  may  be  observed,  that  the  reason  doiibiless  lay  in  tliis,  that 
the  clergy  fearing,  that  after  tliey  should  become  elevated — after 
they  should  become  a  dignified  and  powerful  body — it  might 
nevertheless  be  said  of  them,  '  Their  judgment  and  dignity 
proceed  from  themselves  ;  they  have  ^  measured  themselves  by 
themselves,  aiid  are  not  ivise;'  and  they  are  '  a  self-created, 
self- constituted  and  perpetuating  body  f — and  fearing  this,  it 
were  quite  rational  to  suppose,  that  they  would  cunningly  and 
craftily  commit  all  their  suggestions,  in  relation  to  ecclesiastical 
laws,  to  committees  composed  in  part  of  the  laity ;  and  this 
to  the  end,  that  whatever  laws,  rules,  regulations,  etc..  might 
thence  result,  by  which  they  might  become  elevated,  should 
appear  to  flow  at  least  in  part  from  the  laity  themselves  !  Nay, 
it  appears  that  the  clergy  determined  that  the  dominion  which 
they  hoped  one  day  to  attain,  should  at  least  appear  as  if  resting 
on  a  solid  basis — on  the  consent  of  the  laity.  This  accounts 
for  the  fact,  that  hitherto  the  laity  were  chosen  on  committees, 
along  with  the  clergy,  to  prescribe  ecclesiastical  laws,  not  one 
of  which  ever  benefitted  a  layman  since  the  world  began  I  And 
being  thus  chosen  for  such  end,  it  becomes  plain  enough,  that 
the  object  was  none  other  than  that  they  miglit  thence  become 
ensnared,  so  as  to  rclinqidsh  th.eir  co-ordinate  powers  ;  thus, 
that  they  might  be  ma.'e  instrumental  in  girding  on  their  own 
necks  the  yoke  of  clerical  subordination ;  and  finally,  to  the 
end,  that  when  tiie  clergy  should  become  mightily  elevated  and 
steadily  scaled  in  the  priestly  ear,  they  miglit.  according  to  the 
counsel  of  their  own  vjill,  ride  trinmphanily  over  subordinate, 
prostrate  and  spiritually  dead  laymen;  and,  with  the  ambitious 
and  bloody  Ca?sar,  when  riding  over  the  bodies  of  his  fallen 
countrymen,  exclaim,  •  They  woitli)  have  it  so  !' 

175.  But,  returning  more  immediately  to  the  measures  before 
spoken  of,  as  tending  to  elevate  an  old  church  priesthood  in  the 
New  Church,  we  find,  that  in  1832,  (the  3-ear  in  which  the 
choler\  prevailed,)  the  committees  appointed  in  tlie  preceding 
year  did  not  report.  Nevertheless,  that,  the  following  was  com- 
municated Jroni  tliC  clergy,  namely  :  that  '  It  was  very  desirable 
thai  the  New  Church  throughout  the  world  should,  in  respect 
to  external  order,  adopt  something  of  uniformity  ;  and  that  to 
this  end,  it  were  necessary  to  concentrate  the  arrangements  of 
each  section  of  the  church,'  etc.    As  touching  this  clerical 


to  his  will,  woulil  only  finish,  after  he  had  seized  upon  the  empire  of  the 
■world,  and  made  njiliions  wretched  and  luiscrable.' 

16* 


186 


Powers  and  Prerogativts.        [Chap.  VII. 


mussitation,  it  is  asked,  what  should  we  think  of  a  principal 
or  professor  in  some  one  of  the  various  seminaries  of  learning 
in  the  world,  who  should  arise  up  and  say,  that  the  various 
arrangejnents  in  the  seminaries  of  learning  througliout  the 
■world,  from  that  of  the  lowest  country  school  to  that  of  the 
greatest  university,  ought  all  to  be  concentrated  into  one  ar- 
rangement;  and  that  that  arrangement  ought  to  be  established 
by  law,  for  the  sake  of  uniformity  !  Says  Spurzlieim,  'The 
priesthood,  by  ecclesiastical  laws,  should  not  be  permitted  to 
check  tlie  freedom  of  any  inquiry,  tending  to  religious  or  moral 
improvement,  any  more  than  academies  have  tlie  right  to  im- 
pede the  advancement  of  arts  and  sciences  in  general.  The 
cold  obscure  shibboleth,  and  uniformity  thence  of  the  times, 
must  give  place  to  intelligible  doctrines  in  harmony  with  reve- 
lation and  genuine  reason.'  '  I  firmly  believe,  that  in  many 
points  of  Christianity,  the  letter  which  kills  must  be  replaced 
with  the  spirit  lohich  vivifies;  and  that  wherever  reason  is 
allowed  to  freely  reflect  of  religious  matters,  uniformity  of  doc- 
trine is  impossible.''  But,  again,  the  priesthood  of  the  consum- 
mated church  would,  it  seems,  have  the  Word  preached,  the 
name  of  God  called  on,  the  sacramenls  administered,  the  spirit- 
ual discipline  of  the  church  managed,  tlie  virtues,  the  graces, 
and  gifts  of  the  Lord  and  His  Spirit  exercised,  all  in  the  same 
outward  form  or  uniformity.  But  this  is  the  burden  of  the 
saints,  the  straitening  of  the  spirit,  and  the  eclipsing  of  the 
glory  of  the  Father. 

The  Lord  prayed  at  one  time  standing,  at  another  time 
prostrate  on  the  earth.  Moses  and  Solomon  prayed  at  diflerent 
times  different  ways,  and  the  publican  stood,  but  lifted  not  up 
his  eyes!  The  Lord  preached  at  one  time  out  of  a  ship,  at 
another  time  on  the  shore,  at  another  in  the  temple,  and  at  an- 
other in  the  desert;  sometimes  early,  and  sometimes  late. 
Paul  circumcised  Timothy  among  the  ivealc ;  but  refused  to 
circumscribe  Titus  among  the  perverse.  Nay,  he  became  as  a 
Jew  to  the  Jews,  as  a  Greek  to  the  Greeks ;  to  the  weak  as 
weak,  to  the  strong  as  strong  ;  all  things  to  all  jnrn,  that  he 
might  win  some!  Uniformity  is  neither  in  nature  nor  in  grace. 
If  the  whole  creation  should  appear  in  one  form,  what  monstrous 
thing  would  it  resemble?  The  first  chaos  of  the  ancients? 
But  the  variety  of  forms  is  the  beauty  of  the  ivorld!  So  man, 
himself  consisting  of  many  members,  organs  and  viscera;  and 
each  of  diflerent  forms,  functions  and  use;  each  acting  its  own 
way,  though  difl'erently  from  all  the  rest;  and  the  more  its  own 
way,  tlie  more  in  pcrlect  unity  with  the  zchole!  But  to  man, 
thus  constituted,  the  apostle  of  the  Gentiles,  along  with  Swk«> 


D.  Art.  3.3    Concentration  of  Arrangements  set  up.  187 


DENBORG  after  him,  (in  point  of  time,)  compares  the  church! 
Whence,  if  all  were  liie  eye,  where  were  the  hearing?  Or,  if 
all  were  one  member,  where  were  the  body?  Or,  rather,  if 
all  were  of  the  form  of  any  one  of  the  members,  and  to  act  ac- 
cordingly, what  an  inconceivable  monster  would  man  he! 

God  has  not  called  a  convention  or  council  to  shine  as  a 
central  sun,  or  to  be  as  the  certtre  of  influx  to  the  entire  church, 
as  a  grand  luminary  by  liie  light  of  which  all  should  walk 
unifonnly,  by  any  means  !  Nor  did  the  Loid  ever  promise 
his  spirit  to  those  vviio  say  they  are  the  clergy,  or  to  those  who 
say  Ihcy  are  ecclesiastics,  to  devise  laws  of  order  for  the 
church — though  amoimting  to  hundreds — more  than  to  other 
believers,  though  only  amounting  to  two  or  three.  There  were 
those  who  said  Ihey  were  apostles,  that  were  tried  and  found 
liars;  (Rev.  ii.  2;)  so  there  are  now  doubtless  many  who  say 
they  are  of  the  clergy,  (meaning  tiiat  ihey  are  apostles  or  teach- 
ers,) who  are  discovered  to  be  under  the  like  condemnation! 
They  are  not  all  Israel  who  are  of  Israel;  (Rom.,  ix.  6;)  so 
they  are  not  all  the  clergy  who  are  of  the  clergy  !  Whence, 
there  is  no  commandment  requiring  the  saints  to  go  away  to 
Westminster,  to  Neiv-York,  or  Cincinnati — or  to  the  synods, 
conferences  or  contentions  there  held,  whether  by  the  clergy 
alone,  or  in  company  with  delegated  ecclesiastics,  in  order  to 
know  the  concentration  of  arrangements — that  is,  to  knowr 
how  they  should  sing,  preach  or  pray,  a  la  mode! — in  the 
fashion! — in  the  form  of  the  concentration  ! — that  is,  in  uni- 
formity!— or,  in  a  word,  in  order  to  know  how  to  outwardly 
carry  or  behave  themselves  in  the  things  of  God.  Whence  it 
would  appear,  that,  for  the  clergy  to  set  up  the  concentration 
of  arrangements,  as  the  standard  of  form  to  all,  thus  of  uni- 
formity, and  thence  to  go  about  to  compel  the  saints,  whether 
by  means  of  i-ecommendalions  with  the  horns  of  a  lamb  and 
tliQ  speech  of  a  dragon,  or  otherwise,  to  fcdl  down  before  it,  on 
pain  of  being  cast  into  the  fiery  furnace  of  their  indignation, 
heated  seven  times  hotter  than  otherwise,  through  the  desire  of 
adding  the  secular  arm  to  that  of  their  own,  is  only  to  fill  up 
the  measure  of  Nebuchadnezzar  in  setting  up  his  judgment  of 
arrangements,  in  the  uni-ioxm  [one  form]  of  a  golden  itnage 
on  the  plain  of  Dura,  [eye  of  the  generation,]  and  in  causing 
all  to  fall  down  before  it.  From  all  which,  it  may  justly  be 
concluded,  that  uniformity,  that  great  Diana  of  the  EpiscopU' 
licms,  is  none  other  than  an  image  which  fell  down — not  from 
Jupiter,  as  was  supposed  did  that  of  the  Ej)hesians — but  from 
the  brain  and  fancy  of  an  episcopalian  and  old  church  priest- 
hood;  and  therefore,  as  before  suggested,  has  no  place  whereon 


188 


Powers  and  Prerogatives.       [Chap.  VII. 


to  rest  the  sole  of  its  foot,  in  nature  or  in  grace,  in  reason  or  in 
revelation.    (See  W.  Dell,  on  Uniformity.) 

176.  Pursuing  our  researches  still  farther,  we  find,  that  in 
1833,  the  men  of  the  New  Church  came  forth  out  of  their 
chambers,  and,  making  their  voice  to  be  heard  in  the  congiega- 
tion  above  the  roarings  of  the  clergy,  caused  therefore  that  it 
should  be  again  recommended,  a^it  was  eleven  or  twelve  years 
before,  (1821-''22,)  'that  the  mode  of  receiving  members  into 
society  should  be  left  to  the  alotie  determination  and  choice  of 
the  society  itself.'  (See  n.  168.)  By  this  resolution,  the  cler- 
ical standard  or  ensign  set  up  I  y  the  clergy  two  years  before, 
[1831,]  to  the  end  that  all  New  Church  men  might  look  at  it, 
kiss  it,  (n.  173,)  and  dance  around  it,  as  did  Israel  of  old  around 
the  calf  of  Aaron  the  priest,  became  prostrated  like  Dagon  be- 
fore the  Jlrk!  Whence  it  may  be  said,  that  the  church  iiaving 
regained,  or  rather,  having  caused  het  indefeasible  riglits  to  be 
acknowledged,  rested  in  peace  for  another  year.  And  not  only 
so,  but  in  tlie  following  year,  [1834, ]  an  inquiry  was  made  and 
instituted,  in  relation  to  the  poivers,  uses,  rights  and  authori- 
ties of  the  convention,  along  with  the  extent  of  the  grounds  of 
its  dominion.  This  inquiry  was  manifestly  insiiluted  by  the 
Michaels  of  the  New  Church,  from  the  holy  intention  of  throw- 
ing an  insuperable  obstacle  in  the  way  of  the  mad  career  of  the 
clergy,  whose  aspirations  after  the  crown,  yea,  the  crown  of 
ordination  itself,  fconcerning  which  see  Note  D,  Article  3,) 
began  now  to  be  exhibited  in  characters  too  legible  to  be  mis- 
taken;  and  in  whose  mania  for  ecclesiastical  law-making  vvaa 
noio  discovered  Diuxity  and  Dominion  inscribed  in  characters 
equally  unequivocal!  But,  be  this  as  it  may,  a  clerical  cem- 
mitiee  was  appointed  to  take  the  subject  of  the  inquiry  into 
consideration,  and  who  giavely  reported  as  follows: 

'  Your  committee  was  instructed  to  consider  the  forms,  pojv- 
ers  and  uses  of  conventions.  As  members,  we  can  have  no 
other  wish  than  to  make  themselves  [ourselves])  and  others 
pure  media  of  Divine  love  and  wisdom.  We  do  not  mean  that 
nothing  but  what  is  good  and  true  enters  this  convention.  We 
know  that  our  besetting  si)i  comes  with  us,  and  seeks  to  find, 
even  here,  nurture  and  indulgence.  It  is  plain,  therefore,  that 
an  inquiry  into  our  rights  and  authorities,  and  the  extent  of  the 
grounds  of  our  dominion,  is  altogether  out  of  place.  The  ques- 
tion how  we  may  best  serve  and  minister  unto  others,  and  how 
we  may  best  tind,  or  make,  or  improve  opportunities  of  useful- 
ness, is  the  only  one  that  can  be  asked.  We  do  not  deny  that 
there  is  danger  of  the  love  of  dominion  stealing  upon  us,  and 


D.  Art.  3,]  Ever-memorable  Clerical  Report — 1834.  189 


urging  us  to  depart  from  our  true  character,  and  to  forget  our 
proper  use.  Nay,  we  cannot  deny,  that  all  evil  may  enter 
and  destroy  us." 

This  remarkable  report  may  be  conceived  as  a  true  specimen 
of  the  roarings  of  an  old  church  priesthood  in  the  conventions 
of  the  New  Church  of  ihe  Lord.  But,  let  us  analyze  the  mem- 
orable clerical  logic  contained  therein,  so  as  thence  to  see, 
whether  it  be  possible  that  the  conclusions  there  arrived  at  can 
be  the  genuine  offspring  of  the  premises  adduced. 

Whence,  collecting  the  things  of  the  major  into  a  series,  it 
will  stand  thus  :  There  is  danger  of  the  lust  of  dominion,  and 
with  it  all  evil  stealing  upon  the  members  of  the  convention, 
and  urging  them  to  depart  from  their  true  character;  that  is, 
prompting  them  to  become  lords  over  God's  heritage  ; 

And  the  minor,  in  the  necessary  regimen,  is  as  follows : 
But  the  lust  of  dominion  and  the  desire  of  ruling  over  the 
things  of  heaven,  having  once  stolen  upon  the  members  of  the 
convention,  so  as  to  ber-ome  their  besetting  sins,  they  n-ill  seek 
the  nurture,  indulgence  and  gratificaiion  thereof  even  in  the 
convention,  by  the  way  of  conventional  laws; — 

Such  being  the  premises,  then  let  us  hear  the  concl-ision  or 
conclusions,  agreeably  to  the  unique  logic  we  are  analyzing-— 
they  are  these  : 

Ist.  Therefore,  the  members  of  the  convention  caix  h^.ve  no 
other  wish  than  to  make  themselves  pure  mediums  of  Divine 
love  and  wisdom  !  ! 

2d.  Therefore,  it  is  impossible  that  the  members  of  the  con- 
vention should  ask  for  other  conventional  laws  than  those  which 
may  best  serve  and  minister  unto  others  ;  or  for  any  other  than 
how  to  make,  or  find,  or  improve  opportunities  of  usefulness  ! 

Therefore,  it  is  plain,  that  an  inquiry  into  our  right  and 
authority,  and  the  extent  of  the  grounds  of  our  dominion,  is 
altogether  out  of  place  ! — and  finally — 

Therefore,  we  scarcely  know  how  such  inquiries  can 
be  made  ! 

Respecting  which,  it  is  to  be  noticed,  that  the  first  of  these 
conclusions  is  not  only  7io^  the  legitimate  offspring  of  the  prem- 
ises, but  also  that  it  is  in  direct  and  manifest  hostility  to  both  ; 
and  therefore,  that  it  is  none  other  than  an  arrogant  assump- 
tion, without  ground  or  foundation ;  and  farther,  that  the  other 
conclusions  following,  are  like  unto  it. 

Who  cannot  see,  that  because  (in  accordance  with  the  first 
premise)  ecclesiastics  might  indeed,  as  in  days  of  old,  liave  no 
otiier  ivish  than  to  dominate  over  the  things  of  heaven  ;  and 


100 


Powers  and  Prerogatives,        [[Chap.  VII. 


that  because  (in  accordance  with  the  second  premise)  they  might 
seek  to  gratify  the  lust  of  dominion  by  the  way  of  conven- 
tional legislation  and  laws,  as  did  ecclesiastics  before  them  in 
the  consummated  church  by  the  way  of  decrees  of  councils, — 
the  just  conclusions  therefrom,  instead  of  the  clerical  assump' 
tion  just  noticed,  should  rather  have  been  as  follows  : 

Therefore,  the  surest  way  to  defeat  the  devil — that  is,  the 
lust  of  domination  from  the  love  of  self  in  ecclesiastics — is  to 
discard  forever  all  ecclesiastical  legislation,  involving  things 
wherein  men  differ,  from  the  conventions  of  the  New  Church 
of  the  Lord. 

This  is  that  very  conclusion,  into  wliich  the  men  of  the  New 
Church  hoped  to  force  and  drive  the  clergy,  when  they  insti- 
tuted the  inquiry  noticed  above;  but  the  singidar  logic  by 
which  they  evaded  it,  has  now  been  abundantly  exposed. 

177.  But,  that  we  may  pursue  our  researches  still  farther, 
the  reader  will  recollect,  that  in  1829,  the  clergy  reported,  that 
although  'the  power  of  licensing  and  ordaining  ministers  of  the 
gospel  ought  to  be  relinquished  to  the  clergy,  yet  for  certain 
reasons  the  consideration  of  the  subject  ought  to  be  postponed.* 
And  ;ilso,  that  the  reason  of  the  postponement  was  staled  to  be, 
that  the  ears  of  the  church  miffht  have  time  to  become  recon- 
ciled and  familiarized  to  the  harshness  and  discordance  of  it. 
(See  n.  172.)  But,  in  relation  to  which,  we  find,  that  in  1835, 
the  clergy,  finding  their  liand  snfficienllt)  Jilled  with  willing 
and  ready  instruments — instruments  whose  ears  had  become 
reconciled  to,  or  perhaps  ravished  with  the  rounds  of  such 
things  as  ^ordaining  rninisters,^  ^ prieslli/  si/ccession,'  ^ power, 
privilege  and  prerogative,' — and  instruments  susceptible  of 
more  delight  from  the  Hashes  of  arbitrary  power,  than  from  the 
steady  light  of  either  reason  or  revelation — could  therefore 
brook  no  longer  delay  in  the  attainment  of  the  crown  of  their 
pride,  (see  n.  37,)  the  crown  of  ordination  itself.  Whence  it 
resulted,  tliat,  not  regarding  the  claim  of  the  men  of  the  New 
Church  to  be  of  one  accord  [|co-ordinate^  and  in  the  same 
place,  [plain,]  to  dwell  lven  together  [in  the  same  plain  or  de- 
gree] in  unity,  (Ps.  cxxxiii.) — yea,  not  regarding  how  much 
their  ears  or  feelings  might  now  be  shocked,  the  clergy  pro- 
ceeded to  roar  a  roaring  in  the  midst  of  the  convention  of  the 
New  Church  of  the  Lord!  which  resulted  in  the  setting  up  of 
a  clerical  ensign,  standard,  '  standing  rule,'  or  image,  in  the 
form  of  the  ecclesiastical  law  following:  'The  power  of  de- 
termining fit  subjects  for  receiving  ordination,  as  well  as  that  of 
conferring  it,  belongs  primarily  to  the  clergy ;  and  therefore, 
all  applications  of  candidates  for  the  priesthood  shall  hereafter 


D.  Art.  3.]     The  Besetting  Sin  of  the  Clergy. 


101 


be  made  directly  to  the  ordaining  ministers,  in  convention  as- 
sembled ;  and,  \CT°  if  granted, iheir  decision  thereon  shall 
be  made  iinown  to  the  convention  for  its  approbation  previous 
to  ordination ;'  also,  'that  liie  ordaining  ministers  shall  be  re- 
quested .^Ol  to  determine  what  qualifications  shall  be  deemed 
ESSENTIAL  for  receiving  a  license  or  ordination  to  be  preachers 
in  the  New  Church.    Respecting  all  which,  let  it  be  first  ob- 
served, that  one  year  before  the  time  of  which  we  are  now 
speaking,  (see  the  number  just  preceding,)  the  clergy  had  es- 
sentially reported,  that,  altough  the  lust  of  dominion  with  (dl 
evil  niiglit  steal  in  upon  them,  and  that,  although  they  migiit 
even  seek  the  nurture  and  indulgence  of  such  direful  lust  and 
besetting  sin  by  the  %vay  of  conventional  law,  yet,  nevertheless, 
that  it  was  impossible  that  they  ever  could  wisli  for  any  thing 
else  than  to  make  themselves  pure  media  of  Divine  love  and 
tvisdom;  and,  finding  ihtt  this  unique  logic,  instead  of  being 
scouted  out  of  existence  by  all,  was  not  even  hissed  at  by  their 
supple-knee'd  instruments,  it  should  not  be  accounted  a  strange 
thing,  that  the  clergy  now  tlirew  off  the  cloak  of  disguise,  and, 
in  tlie  face  of  the  sun,  by  means  of  a  conventional  law,  wrested 
the  crown  of  their  pride  out  of  the  co-ordinate  hands  of  all  the 
brethren.    Nay,  it  may  justly  be  said,  that  so  soon  as  the  cler- 
gy discovered  that  their  hands  were  sufHcienily  filled  with  in- 
struments willing  to  believe  that  exclusive  privileges  might 
safely  be  vested  and  deposited  with  their  supposed  sacred 
ORDER,  {all  the  lust  of  dominion  and  all  other  evil  that  migHl 
steal  in  upon  it,  as  it  did  upon  that  of  the  consummated  church, 
to  the  contrary  notwithstanding,)  they  then  proceeded  at  once 
to  throw  o^'tlie  mask;  and  in  reality,  yea,  in  good  earnest /o 
seek,  by  the  way  of  conventional  law,  nurture  and  indulgence 
to  their  besetting  sin!!    And,  respecting  which  sin,  it  should 
be  specially  noted,  that  from  the  days  of  Jeroboam,  the  first  on 
record  who  claimed  to  ordain  whomsoever  he  would  to  be  a 
priest,  down  the  present,  it  is  none  other  than  the  lust  of 
DOMINION  over  the  church,  the  Lord's  kingdom  on  earth.  Nay, 
it  was  the  lust  of  dominion  that  first  prompted  even  Jeroboam 
himself  to  become  an  ordaining  minister;  for  he  said  in  his 
heart,  ^  now  shall  the  dominion  return  to  the  house  of  David  !^ 
Whence,  lest  he  might  lose  the  dominion,  he  said  in  his  heart, 
I  must  seize  upon  the  dominion  over  the  things  of  the  church ; 
otherwise,  the  people,  in  obeying  the  order  of  God  in  going  up 
to  Jerusalem  to  worship  where  the  king  of  Judah  reigns,  will 
fall  away  from  me.    Jerusalem  [ihe  internal^  and  the  king 

— —  ■  / 

o  (Ji^r  Ifnot  granted,  wha*  then?  J?:0 


102 


Powers  and  Prerogatives. 


[Chap.  VII. 


there  will  have  all  the  substance  of  dominion,  while  Bethel 
and  Dan,  [the  external,]  and  /,  the  king  there  will  have  no- 
thing of  dominion  but  an  empty  shadow.    Go  to,  I  will  there- 
fore call  a  council  (he  look  counsel,  see  1  Kings,  xii.  28,)  or 
convention  ;  I  will  seat  myself  upon  the  mount  of  it ;  and  from 
thence  I  will  prescribe  and  suggest  such  measures  as  must 
needs  result  in  llie  nurture,  indulgence  and  gratification  of  my 
great  besetting  sin!    Nay,  this  will  I  do,  thougli  I  be  hence- 
forth proverbially  called  the  son  of  Nebat  who  made  Israel  to 
sin!    Whence,  thus  determining  in  his  heart — thus  calling  a 
convention,  we  find,  that  the  very  first  measure  thence  effect- 
ed consisted  in  the  prescribing,  framing,  and  setting  up  two 
ensigns,  '  standing  images,'   standing  rules,'  or  '  concoitra- 
tions  of  arrangements,'  (all  of  which  are  virtually  the  same 
thing,)  in  the  shape  or  form  of  two  calves;  the  one  answering 
to  the  arrangements  of  Bethel,  and  the  other  suited  to  those  of 
Dan.     The  second  measure  was,  that,  because  it  was  too 
much  for  the  people  to  go  all  the  way  up  to  Jerusalem  to  sacri- 
fice, and  because  uniformity  was  very  desirable,  therefore,  all 
the  people  should  be  permitted,  directed,  and  required  to  kiss 
the  calves  ;  and  that  none  should  be  permitted  to  leach  or  pro- 
phecy in  the  chapel  or  church  of  Jeroboam  who  refused  to 
thus  honor  them.    (Compare  with  Hosea,  xiii.  2,  and  Amos, 
vii.  13.)    The  third  measure  was,  that  all  applications  of 
candidates  for  the  priesthood  should  be  made  directly  to  Jero- 
ijbam  tiie  ordaining  minister  himself,  to  whom  the  power  of 
determining  fit  subjects  for  the  priesthood  belonged,  thus  that 
he  should  exclude  from  the  priesthood  all  whom  he  should  see 
fit,  especially  those  who  were  already  priests  according  to  the 
latv  at  Jerusalem ;  [the  internal;]  (see  2  Ciiron.,  xi.  14;) 
but  contrariwise,  that  whomsoever  he  would,  him  he  should 
ordain  to  be  a  priest.  (See  1  Kings,  xiii.  33.)    And  the  fourth 
measure  was,  that  the  ordaining  minister  should  devise  and 
prescribe,  from  the  best  judgment  of  the  imagination  of  the 
thought  of  his  own  heart,  such  a  code  of  laws  of  church  order 
as  might  be  best  calculated  to  promote  iiis  own  power,  dignity 
and  dominion!  (See  1  Kings,  xii.  33.)    For  more  on  this  sub- 


Now  who  is  there  calling  himself  a  man,  that  will  but  for  a 
moment  consider  the  similarity  of  the  measures  adopted  and 
carried  out  by  the  son  of  Nebat,  the  first  ordaining  minister, 
who  claimed  \.he  power  to  exclude  from,  or  ordain  to  the  priest's 
office  whomsoever  he  would,  ivith  those  of  the  ordaining  min- 
isters and  clergy  of  the  present  day,  but  must  needs  be  struck 
with  deep  amazement — jea,  with  horror  ?    Where  i£  the  man, 


D.  Art.  3.]      The  Power  of  Nominating,  etc. 


193 


seeing  tliese  things,  but  must  thence  feel  constrained  to  obey 
the  VVon!  of  the  Lord,  namely :  ^  to  go  and  note  it  in  a  book, 
that  it  may  be  for  the  latter  day,  and  for  ever  and  ever; 
that  this  is  a  rebellious  people,  lying  children,  that  ivill  not 
hear  the  law  of  the  Lord  that  ^  trust  in  oppression  and  per- 
versenes.i,  and  slay  thereon  ;^  which  refuse  to  know,  that  in 
Teturnin<i  and  resting  on  the  Word  of  the  Lord  there  is  salva- 
tio7i  ;  ait  J  in  quietness  and  confidence  therein  there  is  strength; 
and  which  say  '  no, /or  we  will  flee  upon  horses  ;  we  will  ride 
vpon  the  swift,'  forgetting  that  <■  their  pursuers  shall  be  swijt ;' 
that  '  one  Ihousond  shall  Jlee  at  the  rebuke  or  pursuit  of  one;' 
*till  they  be  left  as  a  dry  tree  without  brunch;  and  as  a  mon- 
mnental  u-arning  to  generations  yet  to  come.'  (Compare  with 
Isaiali,  XXX.  9  to  17.) 

Yet,  in  defiance  of  all  that  is  here  noted,  as  also  of  all  the 
things  noted  in  relation  to  the  son  of  Nebat  who  made  Israel  to 
sin,  the  clergy  nevertheless  refuse  to  take  shame '    For,  in 
speakin?  of  the  measure  under  consideration,  (see  near  the  be- 
ginning of  this  article,)  they  gravely  inform  us,  that  the  subject 
of  ordin:,iion  having  been  kept  steadily  in  view  in  every 
convention  subsequent  to  the  first,  it  result.^d,  that  finally,  at 
the  seventeenth  convention,  (1835,)  a  discrimination  tvas  made 
between  the  duties  which  more  properly  belonged  to  the  clergy, 
and  those  which  belonged  to  the  laity;  and  that  /A e  latter 
relinquishp.d  to  the  former  (by  a  formal  act)  certain  powers, 
which  INDEED  belonged  of  right  to  them,  but  ichich  had  not 
been  previously  distinctly  defined;  and  therefore  it  was,  that  a 
resolution  was  now  passed,  that  all  applications  for  license  or 
ordinations  should  be  made  directly  to  the  ordaining  ministers.' 
Not  only  so,  but,  in  the  same  edifying  memorable,  we  are  far- 
ther informed,  that  '  Although  the  power  of  determining  fit 
subjects  of  oidination,  as  well  as  that  of  conferring  it,  belongs 
primarily  to  the  clergy,'  yet,  that  the  laity  have  not  only  the 
POWER  of  nominating  and  recommending  those  whom  they 
wish  to  be  their  ministers,  but  also  to  approve  of  the  decision 
of  the  clergy  ;  (whether  they  decide  their  candidates  so  nomi- 
nated and  recommended  to  be  fit  or  unfit ;)  and  therefore,  that 
^  the  laity  hold  both  ends  of  the  chain  in  their  own  hands!!' 
Nay,  thence  also,  that  neither  the  chdrch  [the  clergy  |  nor  the 
PEOPLE  Qhe  laity]  are  independent  of  each  other  I  !  (Compare 
Precursor,  vol.  2,  p.  305,  307.)    Whence,  in  accordance  with 
what  was  before  suggested,  it  may  be  seen,  that  the  mussitations 
of  the  cleft^y,  as  here  noticed,  substantially  make  one  with  all 
that  the  clergy  or  priesthood  at  Bethel  might  have  adduced  in 
defence  of  the  ecclesiastical  laws  of  cliurch  order,  there  set  up 

17 


194 


Powers  and  Prefogaiives.        [Chap.  VIL 


and  established  by  the  son  of  Nebat  who  made  Israel  to  sin. 
Nor,  is  it  at  all  irrational  to  suppose,  that  the  priests  of  the  calves, 
in  order  to  reconcile  the  people  thereto,  taught  them  that  they 
not  only  had  the  power  of  nominating  whom  they  would  to 
be  of  the  priesthood,  but  also,  that  of  approbating  and  accepting 
those  (but  those  only)  that  Jeroboam  might  determine  to  be  Jit; 
and  therefore,  that  they  held  both  ends  of  the  chain  in  their 
own  hands ! 

But,  again,  if  it  were  indeed  true,  that  the  power  of  deter- 
mining fit  subjects  of  ordination,  as  w  ell  as  that  of  conferring  it, 
belongs  jnimarily  to  the  clergy,  then  must  that  power  have  be- 
longed to  the  clergy  previous  to  the  determination  of  the  fit- 
ness of  Messrs.  Hindmarsh  and  Hargiove  as  subjects  of  ordina- 
tion, and  thence  receiving  it ; 

But,  if  the  poiver  in  question  belonged  to  the  clergy  previous 
to  this  time,  it  is  manifest,  that  it  could  belong  to  none  other 
than  to  the  clergy  or  priesthood  of  the  old  church,  seeing  that 
previous  to  the  ordination  of  the  persons  just  named  there  were 
none  that  could  be  said  to  be  the  clergy,  but  the  clergy  of  the 
old  church  ; 

Therefcrc,  it  comes  out  manifestly,  that  when  the  clergy, 
claiming  to  be  of  the  New  Church,  go  about  to  teach,  that  the 
power  of  determining  fit  subjects  of  ordination,  as  well  as  con- 
ferring it,  belongs  PRi.-viARrLY  to  the  priesthood,  they  do  nothing 
less  than  go  about  to  establish  and  set  up  an  old  church  priest- 
hood in  the  New  Church  of  the  Lord ;  thus  a  priesthood  in 
succession  from  the  papal  church ;  thus  in  succession  from 
Sijnon  Mugus  the  sorcerer ;  thus  in  succession  from  Jezebel 
the  sorceress,  and  lier  prophets ;  and  thus  primarily  in  suc- 
cession from  Jeroboam,  the  first  man  on  record  in  the  annals 
of  the  church,  who  usurped  the  power,  not  only  of  determining 
fit  subjects  of  ordination,  but  also  of  conferring  it  on  whom- 
soevfr  he  would!    (See  n.  83.) 

178.  But,  pursuing  our  researches  farther,  we  find,  that  the 
clergy,  prompted  by  never-dying  ambition,  were  not  to  be 
satisfied  with  the  crown  of  ordination  alone,  as  an  empty  insig- 
nia of  power,  nor,  indeed,  until  its  emptiness  should  become 
fulfilled  by  all  the  power,  authority,  inlluence,  privilege  and 
prerogative,  ever  claimed,  contended  for,  and  awarded  to  an 
old  church  priesthood.  And  that  such  is  really  the  case,  ap- 
pears from  this,  that  in  1830,  a  committee,  consisting  purely 
of  ordaining  ministers,  was  appointed  to  take  into,  consideration 
the  subject  of  constitutional  rules  or  laws,  and  the  organiza- 
tion thence  of  the  convention;  the  subject  of  licenses  and  or- 
dinations ;  the  subject  of  degrees  in  the  ministry;  and  tlie 


D.  Art.  3.]    A  Committee  purely  Clerical — 1830.  105 


subject  of  a  uniform  mode  of  admitting  members  into  society, 
and  of  all  of  which,  to  make  report  at  the  next  convention.  As 
touching  the  subjects  which  the  clergy  on  this  occasion  had 
succeeded  in  getting  committed  into  their  hands  exclusively,  to 
the  end  that  they  might  thence  devise  and  prescribe  ecclesias- 
tical laws  according  to  the  counsel  of  their  own  will,  the  reader 
will  remember,  that,  as  toucliing  the  subject  of  constitutional 
laws,  the  church  had,  in  1824,  virtually  declared,  that  until  it 
be  deemed  advisable  to  change  the  character  of  the  conventions 
of  the  New  Church,  it  ivill  be  unnecessary  to  form  a  special 
code  of  laws;  (n.  169;)  that,  as  touching  the  subject  of  licenses 
and  ordinations,  she  had  at  first  declared  the  co-ordination  of 
all  the  brethren;  (see  n.  164;)  nay,  had,  in  1829,  so  frowned 
upon  the  proposal  to  relinquish  to  the  clergy  the  power  of 
licensing  and  ordaining,  as  to  cause,  at  that  time,  that  it  should 
be  indefinilehj  postponed;  that,  as  touching  the  subject  of  de- 
grees in  the  clergy,  she  had  so  frowned  upon  them,  in  1830, 
•  that  the  clergy  reported,  that  they  felt  inadequate  to  define  the 
duties  appertaining  to  such  degrees  ;  and  that,  as  touching  the 
subject  of  uniformitif,  in  the  admission  of  members  into  society, 
silt;  iiad,  ill  1S2I,  '32,  aiii!  dtCiuiia  mai  every  socieiy 

should  be  left  in  perfect  freedom.  But  all  this  to  the  contrary 
notwithstanding,  the  clergy  now  that  they  had  seized  upon  the 
croivn,  determined  (as  it  would  seem)  to  exercise  all  that  power 
and  authority  which,  from  the  lust  of  dominion  ihey  conceived 
should  be  awarded  to  them. 

But,  how  the  case  is,  in  relation  to  the  high-handed  measure 
specially  under  consideration,  may  be  seen  still  plainer  from  the 
following,  and  which  makes  one  with  JVilkins,  p.  25,  namely: 
*  That,yro»i  the  very  first,  the  clergy  had  called  the  attention 
of  the  convention  to  the  subject  of  organization,  by  means  of 
conventional  laws.  Again  and  again,  year  after  year,  for 
nineteen  years,  ecclesiastical  laws  of  order,  more  or  less  gen- 
eral, were  sought  for,  by  the  clergy,  through  the  operation  of 
the  general  convention  of  the  New  Church.  Committee  after 
committee,  consisting  in  part  of  the  laity,  had,  in  long  succes- 
sion, been  charged  ivith  the  subject,  either  in  general,  or  par- 
ticular parts ;  yet,  nothing  like  a  digested  and  systematic  plan 
was  thence  ever  brought  forth.  The  committees,  so  consti- 
tuted, generally  contented  themselves  loith  doing  as  little  as 
possible.  But  now,  in  1836,  that  all  the  above  specitied  im- 
portant subjects  ?L'ere  referred  to  a  committee,  constituted 
PURELY  of  the  ordaining  clergy,  who  could  rationally  expect 
but  that  this  committee  would,  or  could  do  no  otherwise  than 
report  a  plan  or  scheme,  devised  in  their  own  hearts,  which 


196 


Powers  and  Prerogatives.        [Chap.  "VII. 


should  comprehend  a  full  code  of  ecclesiastical  laics,  according 
to  ivhich  to  govern  the  New  Church  of  the  Lord  ?    No  man 
had  a  right  to  suppose,  from  the  ceaseless  manner  in  which 
the  clergy  had  agitated  the  subject,  that  any  thing  short  of  a 
code  consisting  of  the  laws,  precepts  and  commandments  of 
men,  would  ever  satisfy  the  expectations,  or  rather  the  cravings 
of  the  clergy  and  their  instruments  in  the  conventions  or  con- 
gregations of  the  New  Church,    Whence,  in  perfect  accord- 
ance with  the  things  here  suggested,  we  find,  that  in  1837,  the 
celebrated  committee  under  consideration  made  their  celebrated 
report.    But,  lest  the  clergy  might  suddenly  succeed  in  getting 
it  passed  in  the  convention,  in  the  shape  of  ecclesiaslii.-al  law, 
the  men  of  the  New  Church  arose  in  their  might,  came  forth 
out  of  their  chambers,  and  succeeded  in  causing  their  voice  to 
be  heard,  and  especially  in  relation  to  the  grand  feature,  of  the 
report,  namely:  whereby  it  was  openly  proposed  to  set  up  and 
establish  an  old  church  priesthood — nay,  even  an  episcopalian 
bishopric  in  the  congregations  of  the  New  Church.    'I'he  re- 
sult of  which  was,  that  the  report  in  question  was  sent  back  to 
the  source  whence  it  emanated — that  is,  to  the  same  committee 
Ot  oriiaining  clergy.    Nevertheless,  the  clergy  perceiving  that 
the  prosperity  of  their  cause  was  siill  on  the  increase,  caused 
that  their  report  should  be  published,  lo  the  end  that  their  hands 
might,  at  the  ensuing  convention,  be  filled  with  a  sufficient 
number  of  willing  instruments,  and,  from  their  power  thence, 
prevail  over  all  opposition  that  might  arise  from  the  congrega- 
tions of  the  New  Church  ;  thus,  also,  from  their  power  thence, 
succeed  in  girding  her  ivith  the  yoke  of  subordi)ialion,  so  as 
to  lead  her  ivhiiher  she  would  not!    But,  be  this  as  it  mzy, 
it  remains  to  state,  that,  in  the  next  year,  (183S,)  the  same 
committee  again  reported  in  convention  their  code  of  ecclesias- 
tical laws,  which,  in  their  own  hearts  they  had  devised;  and 
this,  substantially,  the  same  as  before  ;  (in  1837;)  leaving  out 
only  the  term  bishop,  which  they  conceived  had  not  as  yet  be- 
come sufficiently  harmonious  ayid  concordant  in  the  cars  of  the 
men  of  the  church;  but,  which  term  (as  appears  from  the  se- 
quel) it  was  intended  should  be  adopted,  when  the  state  of  the 
church  might  become  more  propitious.  But,  as  touching  the  cler- 
ical report  7iow  made,  the  question  is,  what  disposition  was  made 
of  it?    And,  here,  it  is  with  the  deepest  regret  acknowledged, 
that  the  men  of  the  New  Church  of  the  Lord  (whom  the  clergy 
call  the  laity)  failed  in  causing  their  voice  to  be  suffii-ienlly 
heard ;  and,  that  their  opponents  out-roared  [i'o<e(/]  them,  in 
the  congregation  or  convention  claiming  to  be  the  Lord's ; — 
nay,  that  they  thence  succeeded  in  setting  up  their  ensigns. 


D.  Art.  3.]     Papal  Bulls  shorn  of  their  Horns.  197 

standards,  '  standing  rules'  or  la7vs — standing  images  or 
calves — their  Pliilislhic  Dagon  of  faith  alone — their  Episco- 
palian Diana  of  one  form  [^uni-form]  for  all ;  and  their  Moloch 
and  Chiun — those  stars  of  eartlily  and  sensual  degrees  of  dignity 
tohich  they  had  made  for  themselves.  (Amos,  v.  26,  and 
Psalms,  ixxiv.  4.) 

The  clergy  being  determined  not  to  stop  short  of  power  and 
dominion  over  the  things  of  heaven,  it  was  in  vain,  then,  that 
ichnle  congregations  virtually  protested  against  their  ambi- 
tious measures.  One  protested  against  all  rides  recognizing  a 
distinction  of  degrees  in  the  ministry  ;  another  declared,  that, 
instead  of  atiempling  to  enact  laws  involving  faith  for  others, 
the  convention  ought  lo  bestow  its  labors  defining  its  own 
position;  and  otiiers  declared  and  protested  other  things  in  op- 
position to  the  wayward  measures  of  the  clergy  and  their  in- 
struments. Wherefore,  as  touching  the  things  setup,  as  just 
specified,  it  may  be  said  that,  by  means  of  tliem,  the  clergy 
succeeded  in  so  girding  the  New  Churcli,  as  to  prevent  her 
walking  freely  whither  she  would;  though  not  so  as  to  lead 
her  ivhither  she  would  not,  much  less  whithersoever  thev 
WOULD — nay,  this,  we  trust,  they  never  will  be  able  to  accom- 
plisli.  All  they  can  accompJisii  is,  to  cause,  as  before  suggest- 
ed, that  she  enter  into  her  chambers,  and  shut  the  doors  about 
her,  till  the  wratli  and  indignation  of  an  old  church  priesthood 
be  dissipated  like  fog  by  the  briglitness  of  the  sun  of  righteous- 
ness, now  rising  above  the  spiritucd  horizon.  Nay,  it  is  true, 
indeed,  that  they  thence  cause  such  a  shutting  up  as  renders 
the  reception  of  the  heavenly  doctrines  [the  man  child]  in  the 
world  extremely  difficult, — thus,  also,  ihat  the  woman  herself 
should  be  left — crying  in  pain,  regardless  of  her  deliverer! 
(Rev.,  xii.) 

179.  But,  the  clergy  having  now  succeeded  in  causing  to  be 
enacted  a  code  of  ecclesiastical  laws — that  for  which  they  had 
so  long  and  so  earnej^tly  sought  after,  as  the  best  means  of 
nurture  and  indulgence  lo  tlieir  besetting  sin,  (the  lust  of  do- 
minion,) and  therefore  also,  as  the  best  means  of  setting  up  an 
old  church  priesthood  in  succession  forever  in  the  New  Church— 
the  most  difficult  part  of  the  work  pertaining  to  their  earthly 
glorification  yet  remained  to  be  performed,  namely:  that  of 
causing  New  Church  men  to  come  into  perfect  conformity  and 
obedience  to  ihe'n  prescriptions  and  laws.  In  this  '  la7id,  that 
freedom  calls  her  own,'  the  clergy  are  destitute  of  aid  from  the 
secular  arm  ;  what  then  can  they  do  to  cause  the  people  to 
tremble  at  their  decrees  and  enactments  ?  If  they  can  but  suc- 
ceed in  withdrawing  the  attention  of  the  people  from  the  ff^ord 

17* 


198 


Powers  and  Prerogatives.        [Chap.  VII. 


and  the  heavenly  doctrines,  and  in  fixing  it  at  the  same  time 
on  the  things  of  orthodoxy,  (things  written  by  the  clergy — col- 
lateral works — minor  worlvs — sermons,  etc.,)  they  may  accom- 
plish their  grand  object ;  but,  otherwise,  their  ^standing  rules,'' 
'  standing  images'  or  ^calves,' — for  the  setting  up  of  which 
they  have  sweat, — must  needs  remain  potverless  as  calves  in- 
deed }  or  rather,  as  papal  bulls  shorn  of  their  horns.  The 
Hebrew  children  were  not  careful  to  ansiver  the  king  of  Bab- 
ylon in  the  matter  of  his  decrees.  They  disregarded  the 
pomp,  nay,  even  the  wonderful  music  with  which  worship  in 
accordance  with  his  decrees  was  attended  !  (Daniel,  iii.  26.) 
And,  that  New  Church  men  were  7iot  careful  to  ansiver  the 
CLERGY  in  the  corresponding  matter  now  under  consideration, 
appears  evident  from  the  report  of  the  ordaining  clergy  in  rela- 
tion thereto,  in  1839,  and  which  runs  as  follows:  '  As  to  the 
importance  of  having  the  respective  duties  of  an  ordained  and 
ordaining  minister  [priest]  more  respected,  your  committee 
regard  this  as  very  important ;  but,  at  the  same  time,  they  are 
not  surprised,  that  the  application  of  the  rules  of  order  (that  is, 
the  ecclesiastical  laws  which  themselves  had  devised,  prescribed, 
and  caused  to  be  set  up,  in  the  year  preceding,  1838,)  should 
in  the  beginning  be  attended  with  some  difficulty,  and  should 
not  in  all  cases  be  strictly  observed.  //  is  to  be  expected,  that 
perfect  conformity  will  be  effected  slowly  and  by  degrees,^ 
'  This,'  says  De  Ciiarms,*  'surely  is  a  plain  indication  enough 
of  the  expectation  of  the  ordaining  ministers,  that  conformity 
to  dicir  rules  of  order  will  at  length  taiie  place.  Nay,  not 
mere,  but  peifect  conformity  is  expected.  And  how  could  ihey 
expect  this,  if  they  did  not  intend  it  ?'  Wlience,  in  relation  to 
that  code  of  laws  of  church  order,  for  the  establishment  of  which 
the  clergy  had  toiled  with  a  faithfulness  worthy  of  even  a  holy 
cause;  for  thrice  seven  years,  as  for  that  through  which  alone 
power,  authority,  influx  and  adaptation  from  on  high  should  be 
awaided  to  them  ;  as  for  that,  by  means  of  which  alone  they 
could  seize  the  dominion  over  the  things  of  heaven  ;  it  becomes 
manifest,  that  the  clergy,  notwithstanding  all  their  hypocritical 
speeches  about  simply  recommending  their  enactments,  rules 
and  laws  to  the  church,  intended,  from  the  beginning,  perfect 
conformity  to  them.  But,  who  knows  not,  that  to  attempt  to 
enforce  unity,  by  conformity  to  clerical  prescription,  whether 
in  the  shape  of  clerical  laws,  or  otherwise,  is  only  to  attempt 
to  rend  asunder  the  church — thus  what  God  hath  joined  to- 
gether? 


'  Or  the  writer  of  '  Reasons  and  Principles,'  (see  p.  19.) 


D.  Art.  3.]     Memorable  Clerical  Jieport—^IQAQ.  iy5> 


180.  But,  leaving  the  clergfy  in  the  East,  sweating  arid 
toiling  with  the  laity  to  bring  them  into  perfect  conformity 
to  ecfiesiastical  laws,  and  thence  into  peufect  subordinalion, 
it  remains  that  we  notice  the  measures  and  proceeding  of  the 
clergy  in  the  West,  mnnifesily  tending  to  the  same  end,  viz  : 
the  setting  up  and  establishing  of  an  old  church  priesthood  in 
the  New  Church.  And  first,  we  find,  that  in  18.39,  ihe  clergy 
in  the  fVest  reported,  in  the  Western  Convention,  Cincinnati, 
that  '  The  pastoral  office  should  be  regarded  as  of  Divine  ap- 
pointment;  and  the  rights,  privileges,  sanctity  and  authority 
apperlainiiig  thereto,  respected  by  the  laiiy  ;'  that  '  whatever  of 
AVTiiORiTY,  of  POWER,  Or  of  INFLUENCE  is  posscssed  bv  the 
pastor,  is  received,  not  from  the  people,  but  from  the  I^ord, 
and  all  these  should  be  freely  awarded  to  him  by  the  laity,  as 
things  of  right,  appertaining  to  his  office  that  '  laymen  should 
cause  their  preconceived  opinions  to  submit  to  the  authority  of 
the  clergy  ;^  that  '  societies  should  be  permitted  to  act  in  l^ree- 
dom,  so  long  as  their  acts  harmonize  with  the  general  order;' 
that  '  measures  presented  for  conventional  action  should,  if 
adopted,  be  presented  in  the  form  of  recommendations  until 
the  whole  church  is  represented,  and,  by  their  delegates,  can 
participate  in  the  enactment  of  those  laws  which  they  are  re- 
quired to  obey.'  that  'the  interests  of  the  church  in  the  United 
States  requires  the  establishment  of  a  general  convention,  that 
may  exercise  a  salutary  superintendence  over  the  whole 
church;^  and  that,  'regarding  ourselves  as  co-ordinate  with 
the  Eastern  Convention,  we  shall  be  enabled  to  enact  laws 
better  adapted  to  the  states  and  necessities  of  the  IVest.^  (See 
Precursor,  vol.  2,  pp.  9,  10,  11.)  Here  it  is  asked,  who  that 
will  look  up  may  not  see,  and  that  will  liearken  may  not  hear, 
that  the  above  roarings  indicate,  in  characters  not  to  be  mis- 
understood, poiver  and  dominion  as  the  end,  and  ecclesias- 
tical laws  as  THE  means?  The  clergy  in  the  ^as<  had  already 
succeeded  in  erecting  an  ensign,  a  standard,  a  toiver  of  Babel 
with  top  in  heaven,  otherwise  called  a  code  of  ecclesiastical 
laws,  by  means  of  which,  to  seize  upon  the  kingdom  and  do- 
minion of  the  saints.  And  the  clergy  in  the  JVest,  however 
confused  or  confounded,  in  relation  to  the  language  used  by 
the  builders  of  the  eastern  quarter,  yet,  because  they  were 
equally  infected,  with  the  Babylonian  botch,  and  thence  with 
the  itch  of  building,  (A.  R.,  153,)  namely:  with  the  lust  of 
dominion,  and  thence  with  a  prurient  desire  io  frame  and  set 
up  ecclesiastical  laws  as  the  means  of  ministering  to  that  lust- 
did,  therefore,  also  say  one  to  another,  go  to,  let  us  devise  and 
frame  laws,  and  thence  establish  thera  by  means  of  legislative 


2U0 


Powers  and  Prerogatives. 


[Chap.  VII. 


enactments,  to  the  end  that  we  also  may  have  a  name,  a  king- 
dom and  dominion.  Thus  fulfilling  that  which  was  long  before 
spoken  concerning  them  by  Moses,  saying,  '  Go  to,  let  us  make 
brick,' — 'let  us  build  us  a  tower — the  top  thereof  in  heaven.' 
Whence  it  is,  that  the  clergy  of  the  West  may,  from  the  time 
they  began  to  build  by  themselves,  be  justly  conceived  to  be 
rearing  up  the  western  quarter  of  the  fallen  or  sunken  toiver 
of  Babel,  in  the  New  Church  and  kingdom  of  the  Lord  ;  and 
that,  in  the  prosecution  of  their  work,  they  liave  used  micK  for 
STONE  and  slime  [pitch]  for  mortar.  And  not  only  so,  but  to 
which  it  may  here  be  added,  that  the  clergy  of  the  middle  region, 
although  apparently  worse  confounded  at  the  way  the  eastern 
builders  builded  than  were  those  of  the  AVest,  yet  because  they, 
from  building  for  a  long  time  in  company  with  the  clergy  of  the 
East,  had  become  measurably  infected  with  their  disease,  (con- 
cerning which,  see  above,)  therefore  it  was,  that  they  also  'said 
(in  1839)  one  to  another,  go  to,  let  us  make  brick,'  and  'let  us 
also  build  a  tower  of  three  stories  or  degrees,  with  the  top 
thereof  in  heaven,'  co-oulinale  with  that  now  building  by  the 
clergy,  whether  in  the  £asl  or  in  the  Tf'est,  •  and  let  us  make 
us  a  name.^  (Gen.,  xi.)  For,  in  accordance  with  the  tilings 
here  stated,  we  find,  that  the  clergy  having  first  laid  the  founda- 
tion of  the  said  tower  in  concert,  did  alierwards  so  far  separate 
into  parties,  that  each  seemed  determined  to  build  up  his  own 
tower,  though  on  tiie  same  fouiulation  laid  by  all;  and  the 
strife  nov^  is,  which  of  them  shall  cause  the  top  of  his  tower  to 
reach  heaven  first  I  Whence,  in  relation  to  the  clergy  of  the 
West,  at  the  time  of  which  we  are  speaking,  it  is  to  be  known, 
that,  finding  their  hands  suflicienil)'  filled  with  u-illing  mid 
ready  instruments,  they  straightway  proceeded,  without  farther 
ceremony,  to  the  w  ork  of  building,  namely :  to  the  work  of 
selling  up  and  establishing  ecclesiastical  laws  in  the  New 
Church  ;  and  of  which  the  following  is  a  specimen  :  "  That  the 
Western  Convention  should  assume  all  legislative  power  ne- 
cessary to  constitute  it  co-ordinate  with  the  Eastern  Conven- 
tion ;'  that  '  the  organization  of  a  General  Convention,  by  del- 
egates representing  the  whole  church  in  the  United  States, 
would  be  the  means  of  concentrating  its  energies,  and  would 
more  eflectually  perform  the  general  uses  of  the  church;'  that 
*  all  applications  for  the  institution  and  organizatiori  of  New 
Church  Societies  shall  be  made  to  one  or  to  another  of  the  or- 
daining  clergy;'  and  that  ihe  Acting  Committee  shzW  g\re 
such  aid  in  carrying  out  the  decisions  of  the  ordaining  clergy 
as  circumstances  may  require;'  that  'the  power  of  ordination 
belongs  exclusively  to  the  clergy and«  that  •  tlie  clergy  shall 


D,  Art.  3.]       Clerical  Syllogism — Memorable. 


201 


be  e.v  officio  members  of  the  convention,  to  whom  shull  be  re- 
ferieJ  all  applications  for  admission  into  the  minisieiial  office, 
and  all  other  matters  relating  to  the  duty  of  that  function.' 
(Compare  Precursor,  vol.  2,  pp.  2,  3.)  From  this  specimen  of 
the  roarings  of  the  clergy,  at  the  convention  in  question,  it  is 
not  to  be  accounted  a  strange  thing,  that  the  voice  of  ilie  laity 
was  stijled  and  suppressed,  and  not  permitted  to  range  in  free- 
dom abroad  in  the  columns  of  the  Precursor.*  The  oidy  word 
in  opposition  to  all  the  high-handed  measures  noticed  above, 
that  was  permitted  to  see  the  light,  at  that  time,  was  as  follows  : 
'  Man  cannot  be  forced  to  do  good,  or  to  adopt  rules  of  action 
by  others,  to  effect  more  than  mere  external  compliant  a.'  (Sea 
Precursor,  vol.  2,  p.  IG.)  It  may  not  be  amiss  to  give  in  this 
place  a  specimen  of  the  arguments  used  to  prove  that  tlio  West- 
ern Convention  was  really  in  possession  of  the  law-making 
power — thus ; 

•  The  Eastern  Convention  possessed  Zegi/ijnafe  juriscliction, 
in  all  matters  pertaining  to  the  priesthood  ; 

'  But  the  IFestern  Convention  assumed  co-ordinate  legisla-. 
tive  power  ; 

'Therefore,  it  is  the  duly  of  ilie  members  of  the  ff'estern 
Convention  to  adopt  such  form  of  order,  [ecclesiaslical  laws] 
in  relation  to  the  ministry,  as'  (in  their  judgment,  flowing  per- 
haps from  the  love  of  self  and  lust  of  dominion,)  'the  interest  of 
the  church  in  the  AVest  requires '.'  (See  Precursor,  vol.  3,  p. 
137.) 

In  this  sophism,  the  legitimacy  spoken  of,  in  the  first  prem- 
ise, is  utterly  denied  as  being  the  fact !  Not  only  so,  but  even 
granting  thai  it  were  the  fact,  still,  it  could  not  convert  the 
assumption,  spoken  of  in  the  second  premise,  into  legitimacy  ! 
wliich  yet  were  necessaiy,  to  the  end  that  the  members  of  the 
Western  Convention  might  lawfully  go  about  to  make  laws 
of  order  for  the  New  Church. 

181.  But,  farther  pursuing  our  researches  in  relation  to  cler- 
ical measures  and  proceedings,  whereby  an  old  church  priest' 
hood  became  elevated,  advanced'  and  set  up,  as  with  a  seat, 
with  power,  with  great  authority,  and  with  influx, — and  thus, 
as  another  head  besides  Christ  in  and  over  the  New  Church  of 
the  Lord, — we  find,  that,  in  1840,  the  clergy  proceeded  to  roar 
a  roaring,  or  build  a  building  with  slime  [pitch  or  biiumen] 
instead  of  mortar — ivith  brick  instead  of  stone,  inscribed  as 
follows:  that  'no  individual  shall  be  ordained  into  any  degree 
of  the  ministry,  unless  the  ordaining  clergy  believe  him  to  be 


*  New  Church  periodical. 


202 


Powers  and  Prerogatives.         [Chap.  VII. 


fully  COMPETENT  to  fill  the  station  efficiently  ;'  and,  that  '  the 
ordaining  clergy  be  requested  to  take  the  matters  relative  to  the 
ecclesiastical  duties  of  the  clergy  into  consideration,  and  report 
to  the  next  convention.'  (See  Precursor,  vol.  2,  p.  164.)  Here 
we  find  the  clergy  striking  hands  with,  and  justifying  the 
pope  of  Rome,  who  alleged,  that  '  the  power  which  the  Ger- 
mans assumed,  in  appointing  their  own  divines,  was  not  only 
criminal  and  j}rofane,  and  therefore  a  heresy  which  all  were 
bound  to  suppress  ;  but,  what  was  infinitely  worse,  it  was  a 
dangerous  invasion  of  his  rights  ;  and  therefore,  that  it  was 
his  right  to  exclude  from  the  priesthood  every  man  whose  or- 
dination did  not  descend  from  himself,  however  otherwise  they 
might  be  appointed  and  ordained,  lest  devouring  wolves  should 
find  their  way  into  the  flock  of  Christ.'    (See  n.  27  and  39.) 
Nay,  we  here  find  the  clergy  striking  hands  even  with  Jero- 
boam himself,  who,  in  consecrating  whomsoever  he  would  to 
be  a  priest  to  the  calves,  nevertheless  consecrated  or  ordained 
none  but  such  as  he  believed  loere  fully  competent  to  fill  that 
station  efficiently  !  !    The  priests  of  the  Lord  were  all 
deemed,  by. the  son  of  Nebat,  to  1  e  unqualified,  incompetent 
and  inefficient ;  and  therefore,  forbidden  to  exercise  themselves 
in  their  office  within  the  borders  of  the  chapel  [church]  of 
Jeroboam ;  whence  it  was,  that  they  all  retired  to  Judali  and 
Jerusalem.  (2  Chron.,  xi.  14,  15.)    But,  the  labors  of  the  am- 
bitious are  rather  to  be  compared  with  those  of  the  Danaides, 
who  were  compelled  to  keep  filled  with  water  a  vessel  full  of 
holes,  at  which  the  water  escaped  as  fast  as  it  was  poured  in, 
thsn  with  those  of  Hercules,  which,  however  toilsome  they 
might  be,  still  they  were  not  eternal!    For  the  clergy,  vvho 
now  seemed  within  a  step  of  the  summit  of  glory,  and  within 
full  view  of  the  end  of  all  their  ambitious  toils,  were,  iipverthe- 
less,  from  a  slight  circumstance,  scarcely  deemed  worthy  of 
their  notice  at  the  time,  caused  to  begin  to  slide  a  sliding—- 
backwards!  down  tl;e  steep  which  they  had  recently  ascended 
by  slow  and  painful  degrees,  amid  toils,  and  dust,  and  sweat; 
— and  to  which  let  it  be  added,  that,  from  the  rate  at  which  they 
at  this  day  [1843]  appear  to  be  leaving  objects  before  them, 
it  may  rationally  bo  concluded,  that  their  sliding  will  not  cease 
till  they  be  slidden  into  some  humble  place  in  the  vale  of  ob- 
8  cur  it  y  !    But  how  the  case  is,  may  be  seen  from  this,  that  the 
clergy  having  caused  that  it  should  be  enacted,  that  '  the  or- 
daining clergy  should  be  requested  to  take  the  matters  relative 
to  the  ecclesiastical  duties  of  the  clergy  into  consideration,  and 
to  make  report  concerning  them  at  the  next  convention,'  it  is 
but  rational  to  suppose,  that,  from  the  success  with  which  they 


D.  Art.  3.]     Fletcher^s  Resolution  or  Legacy. 


203 


had  hitherto  been  crowned,  in  getting        prescriptions  written, 
(that  is,  passed  into  ecclesiastical  laws,)  they  concluded,  that 
there  was  nothing  now  to  do,  but  to  devise  and  prescribe  such 
ecclesiastical  duties  for  themselves,  as  might  best  tend  to  the 
NURTURE  and  rNDULOENCE  of  their  besetting  sin  ;  and  tlience 
to  present  th(  ir  prescriptions  to  the  convention,  to  the  end  that 
they  might  all  be  set  up  and  established  by  ecclesiastical  law  ! 
But,  be  all  tliis  as  it  may,  while  the  clergy  were  sailing  in  the 
full  tide  ol"  their  glory,  the  trivial  circumstance  above  alluded 
to,  and  which  contributed  to  change  the  clerical  tide  in  a  direc- 
tion adverse  to  clerical  glory,  was  nothing  moie  nor  less  than 
this,  that  the  men  of  the  New  Church,  at  the  suggestion  of 
Albet  M.  Fletcher,  caused  their  voice  so  to  be  heard  in  the 
conveniiou,  tliat  it  was  thence  lesolved,  that  ^  each  member 
ought  to  lake  into  serious  consideration  the  nature  and  extent 
of  the  authority  and  poivers  of  the  clergy,  and  the  source 
whence  they  are  derived,  to  the  end  that  definite  action  might 
be  had  thereon  at  the  next  convention.''  (Preciir.,  vol.  2,  p.  165.) 
This  resolution,  which,  for  the  sake  of  distinction,  we  shall 
call  ^  Fletcher^ s  Resolution,^  instead  of  calling  upon  the  clergy 
to  lake  all  liicir  claims  into  serious  consideration,  and  thence  to 
exhibit  tlieni  to  tlie  convention,  to  tlie  end  that  they  all  might 
be  acknowledged  and  written,  [set  up  and  established,]  rather 
calls  upon  each  man  of  tlie  New  Church  to  take  the  claims  of 
the  clergy  into  serious  consideration,  to  the  end  that  they  might 
be  acknowledged  according  to  their  just  merits,  and  no  farther; 
— instead  of  calling  upon  the  clergy  to  display  the  powers  and 
prerogatives  which  they  had  assumed  and  claimed,  it  rather 
calls  upon  the  men  of  the  church  to  search  out  the  source  whence 
clerical  power  and  prerogative  is  derived  ;  and,  instead  of  in- 
volving in  it  that  the  laity  should  only  be  the  echoes  of  clerical 
orthodoxy,  and  thence  as  so  many  magpies,  to  chatter  forth 
priestly  opinions,  it  rather  involves  in  it,  as  Swedenborg  him- 
self taught,  that  all  men  have  freedom,  not  only  to  think  on 
theological  subjects,  but  also,  by  consequence,  to  speak  and 
write  on  them  ;  nay,  thence  to  also  jmhlish  their  views  for  the 
benefit  of  others.    Such  being  a  few  of  the  things  involved  in 
this  celebrated  resolution,  it  therefore  becomes  evident,  that  its 
inevitable  tendency,  when  carried  out  according  to  the  spirit 
and  intention  thereof,  were  none  other  than  to  expose  the  claims 
of  the  clergy,  (involving  their  supposed  powers,  prerogatives, 
exclusive  right  of  ordination,  etc.,)  in  relation  to  their  being 
with  or  without  ground  or  foundation,  naked,  deformed  and 
monstrous  ;  or,  covered  and  defended  by  the  truths  of  the  Word  ; 
as  the  case  might  prove  to  be.    But,  this  inevitable  result  being 


204 


Powers  and  Prerogatives,        [Chap.  VII. 


foreseen  by  the  clergy,  who,  being  perfecily  aware  that  as  'a 
rotten  cause  abides  no  handling,  so  their  cause  in  relation  to 
their  unlioly  claims  would  not  abide  the  scrutiny  or  handling 
of  a  full,  f  ree  and  public  investigation,  therefore  it  resulted,  that 
their  principal,  in  the  West,  was  /n'msf^  constituted  the  editor 
of  the  New  Church  periodical,  for  the  ensuing  year,  so  (as  ap- 
pears from  manifest  proceeding)  that  he  might  exclude  with  a 
high  hand,  from  the  light,  the  serious  considerations  of  the 
men  of  ihe  New  Church  on  the  subject  of  clerical  claims  ;  and 
so  that  l;e  might  become  the  author  and  finisher  (at  least)  of 
New  Church  ortiioi^oxy.  But,  that  the  clergy  really  did,  as 
suggested,  assume  the  editorship  of  the  periodical  in  question, 
so  that  tiionce  tliey  might,  with  a  liigh  hand,  exclude  every 
consideration,  article,  or  thing,  tending  to  expose  the  want  of 
ground  ?iui  foundation  for  clerical  power  and  prerogative,  ap- 
pears maiiifest  from  this,  that,  excepting  those  clerical  memora- 
bilia, insciibed  ordination  and  a  new  church  ministry, 
along  with  others  making  one  with  them,  (and  a  few  words 
from  our  aged  brother  Sliarp,)  none  of  the  manj- articles  written 
in  accordance  with  Fletchcr^s  resolution  that  were  presented 
for  publication,  were  permitted  to  see  the  light,  tlirough  the 
columns  of  the  Precursor  ;  as  it  is  written — '  lest  the  trutu 
OF  THE  \\  ORD  SHOULD  COME  TO  many'  througli  the  Organ  they 
had  provided  to  that  end,  'and  thtjs  into  light!  (Sec  U.  T. 
n.  113.) 

Nay,  that  the  clergy  adopted  the  dominating  measures  here 
noticed,  from  the  fear,  that  if  free  investigation  in  relation  to 
their  claims  were  permitted,  their  wa7it  of  ground  or  foundation 
might  tlience  be  exposed,  appears  from  their  own  report,  in 
relation  to  tlieir  editorship,  to  the  next  convention  ;  (see  Pre- 
cursor, vol.  2,  p.  366;)  and  specially  wherein  they  gravely 
inform  the  members  thereof,  that  lliey  had  carefully  avoided 

USELESS  CONTROVERSY,  and  QUESTIONS  OF  DOUBTFUL  DISPUTA- 
TION. For,  who  is  so  blind  as  not  to  see,  that,  by  this,  notliing 
more  is  meant  than  that  the  clergy  hiid  excluded  from  the  Pre- 
cursor all  articles  in  opposition  to  their  own  memorabilia,  as 
controversial  objects,  utterly  useless  in  promoting  tlie  claims 
of  the  clergy;  and,  as  questions,  wiiich,  if  publicly  canvassed, 
might  clearly  show  to  the  church  at  large,  that  such  claims 
were  without  ground  or  foundation.  Not  only  so,  but  the 
same  thing  may  be  seen  still  plainer  in  the  same  report,  where 
they  gravely  inform  the  men  of  the  convention,  that  they  have 
a  right  to  require,  that  the  doctrines  set  forth  in  their  periodical 
should  not  only  be  strictly  orthodox,  but  also  clothed  in  grace- 
ful and  becoming  language.    For,  who  cannot  see,  that,  by 


D.  Art.  3.]  Orthodoxy — What  it  is. 


205 


this,  nothing  more  can  be  meant  than  that  the  men  of  the  New 
Church,  so  far  from  possessing  that  riglit,  of  which  they  had 
fondly  supposed  they  were  in  the  full  possession,  namely:  to 
take  into  serious  consideration  the  source  of  clerical  power  and 
prerogative,  and  thence  to  publish  their  con'^ideraiions,  although 
in  opposition  to  clerical  opinion  or  orthodoxy, — only  had  the 
memorable  right  to  require,  that  no  considerations  whatever 
should  be  published  in  their  periodical,  but  what  should  be 
strictly  orthodox — that  is,  but  what  should  be  clerical  consid- 
erations, clerical  memorabilia,  or  clerical  opinions  and  things 
strictly  making  one  with  them.    And,  blind  indeed  must  he  be, 
who  cannot  see,  that  this  is  what  is  meant  by  the  portion  of 
this  celebrated  clerical  report  under  consideration.    For  what  is 
orthodoxy  ?    Is  it  not  a  man's  own  opinion,  and  that  of  those 
making  one  with  it?    And,  what  is  orthodoxy  in  man  or  wo- 
man?   Is  it  any  other  than  this,  that  his  or  her  opinion  makes 
one  with  my  own  ?    Consequently,  he  who  asserts  that  noihing 
but  what  is  strictly  orthodox  ought  to  be  published  for  the 
benefit  of  the  church,  essentially  asserts  that  his  oivn  opinions 
should  be  paramount,  and  'o'er  all  prevail;'  and  thence  also 
betrays  the  arrogance  of  a  Romish  pope,  and  the  shameless 
self-importance  of  a  Turkish  mufti!    As  touching  the  good 
language  spoken  of,  in  addition  to  things  strictly  orthodox, 
that  were  altogether  unnecessary,  seeing,  graceful  and  becoming 
language  follows  orthodoxy  as  things  of  course  !    Who  that 
speaks  or  writes  orthodoxly,  and  that  strictly,  ever  yet  failed  to 
speak  or  write  gracefully  and  becomingh/ — nay,  we  might 
add,  calmli/,  courteously  and  respectfully  ?    (See  Precursor, 
vol.  3,  p.  96.) 

These  things  being  premised,  then,  as  before  suggested,  it 
remains  to  be  considered,  how  it  is,  that  the  men  of  the  church, 
in  taking  into  serious  consideration  the  source  whence  clerical 
power  and  prerogative  is  derived,  should  thence  contribute  to 
change  the  hitherto  prosperous  tide  of  the  clergy,  and  their 
blissful  visions  of  power,  authority,  etc.,  into  thin  air ;  and 
cause  that  their  feet  should  slide  backward  down  the  sleep  of 
earthly  glory  !  that  steep,  which  late  they  had  ascended  amid 
dust,  and  sweat,  and  mortal  toil !  But,  to  see  how  the  case  is, 
let  it  first  be  observed,  that,  as  the  wicked  are  taken  in  their 
own  snare,  so,  in  the  case  before  us,  are  the  clergy  taken  in 
theirs.  For,  whether  in  seizing  upon  the  balls  of  the  press,  to 
blacken  the  face  of  him  who  would  approach  thereto,  to  the 
end  that  he  might  tell  the  church  what  he  had  seen  and  heard 
respecting  the  source  of  clerical  power  and  prerogative ;  or,  i)i 
any  other  means  which  the  clergy  have  used  to  shut  up  the 

18 


206 


Powers  and  Prerogatives.        [Chap.  VII. 


way  of  light  in  the  men  of  the  New  Church  ;  they  have  acted 
equally  as  insanely,  as  he  who  should  attempt  to  dam  up  the 
streams  of  a  river,  so  as  to  ptevent  their  flowing  in  any  direc- 
tion whatever,  although  led  at  their  sources  by  springs  and  by 
the  rain  of  heaven  !  Such  streams,  when  prevented  f'lom  flow- 
ing into  the  channel  of  the  river,  which  tliey  liave  made  for 
themselves,  will  break  over  their  baiiks  and  water  the  thirsty 
plains  around!  So,  the  men  of  the  church,  being  prevented  by 
the  clergy  from  letting  their  light  flow  in  the  chaymel  which 
they  had  made  for  that  purpose,  broke  over  their  banks,  and  in 
defiance  of  clerical  obstructions,  caused  their  liglit  to  flow  in 
every  direction.  Whence,  conceiving  of  The  Precursor,  as  of 
a  river,  which  should  have  been  fed  by  the  various  streams 
which  were  afterwards  dammed  up  by  the  clergy,  did  it  not 
thence  become  a  loathsome  clerical  pool — a  dead  sea,  where  no 
MAN  lived,  and  from  which  the  fowls  of  heaven  fled  away? 
Nay,  thus  it  remains  to  this  da)-,  and  forever  a  monumental 
warning,  to  the  clergy  of  future  generations,  never  to  interfere 
with  the  freedom  of  the  press,  whether  by  attempting  to  shut 
up  tlie  way  of  light  in  the  men  of  the  New  Church  of  the  Lord, 
or  otherwise.  Whence,  the  streams  of  light  in  the  men  of  the 
New  Church  being  clerically  dammed  up,  so  as  to  be  prevented 
from  flowing  through  the  columns  of  the  Precursor,  broke  over 
into  other  channels,  as  before  stated ;  one  flowing  into  the 
channel  of  the  Errand  Boy ;  another  in  that  of  the  Errand 
Boy  Extra,  Balance,  etc. ;  another  in  that  of  The  Derivation 
of  the  Powers  and  Prerogatives  of  the  Ministry  of  the  New 
Church;  (vv)  another  in  that  of  the  Protest,  in  the  case  of  the 


(or)  The  following  sentiments  are  extracted  from  the  pamphlet  on 
The  PowEns  and  Prerogatives,  etc.  i 

1 .  That,  as  the  mother  claimed  the  ghostly  authority  of  her  priests 
to  be  from  on  high,  so  do  all  her  true  daughters,    (n.  3.) 

2.  't  hat  thofe  images  of  ghostly  prirsthood,  exhibited  as  clothed  with 
right  divine,  with  authorily/rom  on  whether (Icscending  inmifrf/n/f/y 
or  mediately  through  pojie?,  presbyters  or  bishops,  are  in  direct  opposition 
to  the  image  of  the  ministry  of  the  New  Church  of  the  Lord.    (n.  4.) 

3.  That  he  who  ;iflirms,  that  the  poxcer  of  detcrniining  fit  subjects  to 
preach,  as  well  as  that  of  sending  them,  belongs /jmna/vVy  to  the  priesthood, 
13  a  man  of  the  old  rhureh,  and  in  tlie  very  midst  of  its  sphere,    (n.  5.) 

4.  That  the  rays  of  the  spiritual  sun  of  heaven,  without  performing  the 
least  operation  whatever  %  the  u  ay ,  that  is,  without  specially  affecting 
priests,  w  ho,  from  w  dij^nity  proccediug  from  themselves,  (Habak.,  i.,)  have 
elevated  themselves  mirficoy  between  heaven  and  earth,  descend  straight- 
way to  the  plain  of  the  church,  where  ultimating,  they  arc  thence  exhib- 
ited in  potency  and  use.    (n.  G.) 

6.  That  the  Ameriean government  is  an  abhorrence  to  scqitred  kings  and 
lordly  priests,  whether  laurelled,  mitred,  or  otherwise;  seeing,  they  all  long 


D.  Art.  3.]      Streams  Clerically  Bammed  up. 


207 


Acting  Committee  against  J.  S.  Williams  ;  another  in  the  small 
channel  of      .^nstver  to  the  Clerical  Reasons  tvhy  the  Protest 


for  power  from  on  high  independently  of  the  people,  the  legitimate  medi- 
um of  all  earthly  authority; — that  civil  government,  as  reflected  from  the 
sphere  of  the  old  cliuroh,  is  to  her  ecclesiastical  government,  reflected 
from  lhc«/»;e  sphere,  mutatis  mut/indis  the  same  thing;  and  also,  that 
civil  government,  that  is,  the  government  of  the  United  States,  reflected 
from  the  sphere  of  the  New  Chnrch,  will  be  to  her  ecclesiastical  govern- 
ment, reflected  from  the  SMUP.  sphere,  t)iulat>s  mutandis  the  same  thing; 
and  theicfon;,  tlial,  instead  of  the  power  and  authority  of  niinisiers  being 
derived  imtncdialtly  frum  on  high,  they  will  be  derived  inedialeh/ from  the 
laity,  namely,  from  the  fountain  where  power  from  on  hig/i  is  in  potency^ 
power,  ullintales,  and  sovereignty. 

6.  'I'liat,  plain  as  the  Heavenly  Doctrines  are,  yet  they  can  only  be 
seen  as  in  twilight  by  such,  claiming  to  be  of  tlic  Nevv  Chnrch,  as  have 
fled  from  fulling  Babylon,  but  still  look  hark  to  tconder  after  her  seat,  her 
potcer,  and  her  great  authority;  (liov. ,  xiii. ;) — that  some  claiiuing  to  be 
of  the  \ew  Church  should  look  buck  to  wonder  after  the  things  of  Babylon, 
is  nothing  more  than  might  be  expected ; — Israel,  though  fed  with  angels' 
ioad,  Honde red  or  longed  for  the  flesh-pots  of  Egypt; — that  the  apostle 
I'aid  speaks  of  beggarly  ilenienls,  ivlicrcunlo  sonie  of  the  christians  desired 
to  be  under  bondage  again,  e  ven  after  they  had  tasted  the  sueels  of  gospel 
lil)erty  ;  (Gal.,  iv.  9  ;) — that  some  even  of  the  apostles  themselves,  who  had 
heard  the  Lord's  d;vii]<!  lectures  with  their  owh  ears — who  had  fled  from 
the  city  of  Sodom  where  the  Lord  was  crucified — yet  looked  back  to  won- 
der after  circumcision  in  the  flesh;  and  that  the  reason  was,  because  cir- 
cumcision was  lionorable  and  popular,  having  in  its  favor  the  praise  of  men ; 
(Rom.,  ii.  29  ;)  that  is,  the  praise  of  the  great,  such  as  the  lawyers,  scribes 
and  Pharisees; — and  that,  as  it  was  necessary  that  the  advocates  of  cir- 
cumcision should  be  withstood  to  (he  f.ce,  al  I'lat  time,  (Gal.,  ii.  11,  14,) 
in  order  that  they  might  be  vastatcd  of  the  last  remains  of  the  Jewish, 
economy  and  priesthood;  so  it  is  no  less  necessary,  that  the  men  of  the  New 
Church  should  be  dev.  stated  of  the  last  fragments  o(  an  old  church  priest- 
hood at  this  very  lime.    (n.  9.) 

7.  That,  to  be  i:t  or  called  of  God  to  the  ministry,  is  to  receive  illtis- 
Iralwn  [roni  the  Luul  by  means  of  the  Word;  as  it  is  written,  '  As  my 
Father  sent  uie,  so  send  I  you;  and  when  he  had  thus  spoken  he  breatlted 
on  Ihcm,  and  slid.  Receive  ye  the  Holy  Ghost;'  and  that  by  this,  the 
I^ord  teaches,  that  the  illustration  of  his  ministering  servants  is  from  the 
Divine  love,  by  the  Divine  trutli  of  the  Wi/rd.    (n.  35.) 

8.  'I'hat  those  who  aie  llius  illustrated  (see  the  last)  and  sent  to  preach, 
seek  not  to  win  to  themsclues  worldl}-  honors  or  the  praise  or  applause  of 
men,  hut  the  health  and  prosperity  of  the  church,  the  Lord's  body;  while 
they  who  are  not  thus  sent,  seek  to  tliemselves  titles  and  degrees,  that  they 
may  be  called  of  men  Doctor,  Doctor.'  whence,  that  they  may,  like  AVmon 
Magus  or  Diotrcphcs,  be  called  the  great  personages  of  tlie  earth,  without 
whose  license  none  ma}'  teach  or  p'cach — thus  all  in  direct  opposition  to 
the  Word  :    (See  Numb. ,  xi.  29 ,  and  Luke,  i.\.  49,  50.) 

9.  That,  when  the  Lord  breathed  on  his  disciples,  and  said,  '  Receive 
ye  the  Holy  Ghost,'  he  added,  '  Whosesoever  sins  ye  remit,  they  are  re- 
mitted;  and  whosesoever  sins  3"e  retain,  they  are  retained;'  also,  that 
when  he  told  Peter,  saying, '  1  will  give  to  thee  the  keys  of  the  kingdom 
of  heaven,'  he  added  words  uf  a  similar  import,  namely ,  '  Whatsoever  thou 
shall  bind  on  earth,  shall  be  bound  in  heaven ;'  therefore  it  follows,  that 


208 


Poivers  and  Prerogatives.         [Chap.  VIL 


should  not  be  published  in  the  Precursor ;  another  in  that  of 
the  Extra  Messenger ;  and  another  in  that  of  the  Genius  of 
Ecclesiastical  Freedo7n — now  in  the  hands  of  the  reader. 


the  receiving  the  Holy  Spirit,  whiih  is  illustration  from  the  Lord,  is  one  and 
the  sair:  thing  with  receiving  the  krys  of  Vie  kingdom  of  heaven ;  e-neciallj' 
seeing,  that,  at  the  time  of  receiving  them,  it  was  said, '  Flesh  and  blood 
hath  not  revealed  this  to  thee,  but  ray  Fathkr  which  is  in  heaven;' — as 
if  the  Lord  had  said,  being  iUmtratfd  Vrom  Divine  love,  you  acknowledge 
me  to  be  Christ,  the  son  of  the  living  God.    (n .  23.) 

10.  That  all  who  search  tlie  Word  interiorly,  are  thence  illustrated  of 
the  Lord,  consequently  put  in  possession  of  the  if  J  of  the  king  ioro, — 
rather  thair  mitred  prelates  and  ghostly  popes,  who,  destitute  of  these, 
brandish /ate  keys  of  their  own  devising  in  the  face  of  heaven,    (n.  24.) 

IL  'I'hat  the  illuslralion  of  the  clersVi  who  feign  theuiselves  to  be  in 
the  possession  of  the  true  keys  of  the  kingdom  of  heaven,  is  as  different 
from  ^'ta<  which  is  truly  indicated  by  them,  as  hell  is  from  heaven:  the 
former,  results  in  |))acing  men  over  one  another  in  3iiperi<  rity  ;  the  latter, 
under  one  anotljer,  yet  so  as  that  they  may  dwell  in  evenness  [equality] 
and  in  unity.  (  Ps.,  cxxxiii.)  '  I,'  said'Christ,  '  am  among  you  as  one  that 
serves;' — '  Thu  lords  of  tlie  Gentiles  exercise  authority  i>ver  them,  but  it 
shall  not  be  so  among  you.'  The  firmer  results  in  oppiession,  the  latter 
in  edification.  The  former,  in  putting  a  yoke  of  subordination  to  the 
commanrlnients  of  men,  o^•  Ihenecks  of  the  disciples;  the  latter,  in  leading 
men  Kuoti  under  that  yoke,  into  the  glorious  liberty  wherewith  Christ  has 
madt  fhem  free.    (n.  25.) 

12.  'I'hat  it  is  the  Holy  Spirit,  or,  what  is  the  same  thing,  illustration 
from  the  Lord,  that  qualifies  a  man  for  «he  work  of  the  ministry  ;  and, 
that  Peter  and  John,  being  illustrated,  declared  that  they  could  not  but 
tell  the  things  \rhich  they  had  seen  and  heard — that  is,  they  could  not 
help  but  teach  ur  instruct.  Without  this  uncliori  of  the  Spirit,  [anoint- 
ing or  ordination,']  they  very  probably  woul<l  have  preachi  d  no  more, 
after  the  time  liny  were  commanded  by  the  chief  jiriests  to  speak  no 
more  in  the  name  of  Jesus,    (n.  14.) 

13.  That,  without  this  anointing  or  ordination,  as  above,  the  clergy 
may  domineer  over  the  sheep,  but  they  caonot  drive  awaj-  the  tculf; — 
they  may  teach  for  doctrines  the  commandments  of  men,  but  thi-y  c;>nnot 
teach  the  Ward; — they  may  build  up  (heir  own  houses,  that  is,  meti's 
churches,  but  they  never  can  build  up  the  Lord''s  house,  the  LordU  church! 
(Number  15.) 

14.  That  the  Lord  can  e<tablisl)  his  kingdom,  or  build  up  his  house  only 
through  the  medium  of  rational  nii-n ;  and,  even  then,  only  in  so  far  as 
they,  whether  in  a  conventional  capacity  or  otherwise,  budd  in  harmony 
or  obedience  to  Mis  oicn  laws— H  s  meii  divine  order  already  laiil  down; 
and  that,  rontrariwise,  in  so  far  as  men.  in  their  conventional  c:ipacity, 
frame  authorit.itive  laws,  rules  of  faith,  etc.,  and,  in  accorriance  thence, 
go  about  to  build  up  the  Lord's  Temple,  in  to  far  the  Lo'-d's  budding 
ceases  and  falls  h  decay;  as  it  is  written,  'Except  the  Lord  build  the  house, 
they  labor  in  vain  wdio  build  it.'    (n.  12  ) 

15.  That,  if  the  watchmen  stand  on  the  walls  of  Zion  in  obedience  to 
their  Lxcn  orders,  decrees,  etc.,  enacted  in  council  or  convention,  then  the 
Lord,  through  such,  watches  not  the  city;  seeing,  Jle  only  can  walch 
through  such  as  are  placed  there  in  accordance  with  His  own  ilivine 
order :  as  it  is  writt>-n, '  Unless  the  Lord  watch  the  city,  the  watchmen 
watch  in  vain, '    (n.  13.) 


D.  Art.  3,J      Diversity  of  Gifts  given — why.  209 


Nay,  to  all  which  channels  of  light  may  be  added,  that  of  epis- 
tolary correspondence,  flowing  in  every  direction,  from  the 
river  to  the  sea !    Whence,  seeing  that  all  these  channels  were 

16.  Tliiit,  neither  the  doctrine  of  the  New  Jerusalem,  nor  (hat  itlnstra- 
tion  ill  it,  whence  a  man  becomes  such  a  teacher  tliat  he  is  '■apt  to  ('■ack,'' 
and  sucli  a  preaclier  that  he  '  cannot  but  tell  tvhat  he  lias  heard  a;td  »ecn^ 
couics  not  down  from  the  conjcssions  of  faith  or  laws  of  church  order  of  as- 
semhlrd  priests,  whether  at  Dort,  JVestminsier  or  New-l'ork,  but  from  God 
out  of  heaven!    (n.  18.) 

17.  That,  the  government  of  mcii's  churches  is  laid  on  men's  shoulders, 
whether  pope,  e:cncral  assembly  at  Westminster,  or  general  conference  at 
J^ew-York,  and  is  administered  hy  means  of  laws  thence  enacted  by  as- 
semblages of  priests;  (n.  19;)  bill, 

18.  'J'hat,  the  government  of  the  Lord'^s  Kcw  Church  is  laid  on  the  shoul- 
ders of  Christ  her  king,  who  administers  it  through  the  medium  of  her 
members,  \\\  accordance  with  His  oicn  laws  as  giveu  in  the  Wonl.  (n.  20.) 

19.  That,  in  tlie  churches  of  men  the  otTicer,--  themselves  are  esteemed 
the  church,  their  language  therefore  is,  'Our  church,'  '  Our  people,'  '  Our 
menibers.'  Uut  in  the  ./Vciti  Christian  Cliurch,  the  officers  are  a  part  of 
the  church's  property ;  as  it  is  ivritten,  'Whether  Paul,  or  Apollo:,  or 
Cephas,  all  are  your?.'  Presumptuous  officers  are  thcv  who  go  about  to 
order  the  chuirh,  insteai!  of  being  (he  servants  of  it!    (n  .  27.) 

20.  Th.'it,  the  members  of  the  iVew  Christian  Church  are  all  brethren, 
subjects  and  children  of  the  kingdom  of  the  Lord,  of  whom,  he  tbat  wnuld 
he  the  iirealest  mustbe  the  s.  rvani  of  uU,  ;i!)d,  const  qiiently,  that  they  must 
turn  from  all  who,  like  Diolrephes,  loves  the  pic  eminence,  or,  what  is  the 
same  thing,  they  must  turn  from  every  man  who  would  rule  as  a  king  over 
the  rest,  in  the  stead  of  the  King  himself,    (n.  10.) 

21.  That,  the  subjects  of  the  Lord's  kingdom  may  freely  convene  to- 
gether in  order  to  devise  measures  whereby  they  may  most  cflfectually 
obey  and  no  the  commandments  of  the  Lord;  but,  in  so  fir  as  they  go  alxiut 
to  establisli  the  comii;aiidmcnts  of  men,  in  so  far  do  thcv  attempt  to 
elevate  the  crest  of  Anlichrisl,  and  to  support  the  dragon  in  maintaining  his 
post  before  the  leoman.    (n.  11.) 

22.  Tliat,  (iod  has  given  diversity  of  gifts,  in  oriler  that  each  member 
may  acknowledge  ^!/(?ic//i)ng- in  another  no/  inhimse/f  -.uid  that  each  may 
reckon  his  perfection  to  be  in  ui,i/i/  with  the  rest;  liiat  each,  from  iilus- 
tratioii,  has  his  approjiriale  place  in  the  bodv;  tliat,  when  the  church 
jierceives  this  grace  in  her  members,  i/te  appoints  tiieiii  to  the  exercise  of  Hf 
and  that,  therefore,  no  member  may  elevate  above  another,  seeing  each 
are  equally  necessary  with  himself  in  the  making  up  of- (hat  body,  where 
none  acts  for  himself  only  ;  where  each  series  all,  and  all  serves  each.  A .  C, 
3G33.    (n.  IG.) 

'23.  That,  if  a  member  exalls  himself  above  a  fellow  member,  he  thereby 
usurps  the  place  of  the  bead;  tlms  breaks  the  uniti/  of  the  body  which 
stand.=  only  in  unity  of  the  head.  Whence,  he  that  in  a  single  or  combine4 
unity  sets  hiniseK above  other  receivers  by  giving  laws  and  prescribing  rules 
to  such  as  are  every  way  his  equals,  advances  hi'iiself  as  another  head  be- 
sides Christ;  and  thus  becouics,  to  all  intents  and  purposes,  an  ANTicunisT. 
See  n.  UJ  to  153.    (,n.  17.) 

21.  That,  in  the  church  of  the  living  God,  the  orders  of  the  clergy  and 
Jaity  are  not  distinct;  seeing,  tl'at,  taken  tofiethor,  they  are  'AVhosen 
generation,  a  holy  nation,'  '  a  peculiar  i)eopJe;'  seeing,  that  all  who  are 
in  love  from  the  Lord  are  called  priksts  and  alike  shew  forth  tlie  praises 
of  Him  who  hath  called  them  from  under  the  dominion  of  self-co.nsti- 

18* 


310 


Powers  and  Prerogatives,         [^Chap.  "VII. 


made  or  converted  into  channels  through  which  to  carry  out  the 
holy  intention  of  Fletcher^s  resolution,  and  of  the  men  of  the 
church  in  conveniion  that  adopted  it,  it  would  seem  almost  su- 
perfluous to  tell  how  it  was,  that  the  hitherto  prosperous  tide  ol' 
the  clergy  became  thence  changed  in  an  adverse  direction  ;  or, 
how  it  was,  that  clerical  prospects  of  dominion  and  glory  be- 
came thence  lost  in  the  far,  far  distant  horizon!  Nevertheless, 
that  something  of  how  it  was  may  here  be  seen,  then,  reader, 
look  upon  the  collapsed  Precursor!  Behold  it,  a  river,  not  of 
bi-oad  spaces,  (Isa.,  xxxiii.  21,  in  the  margin,)  but  a  river,  con- 
cerning which  the  clergy  had  said,  '  7ny  river  is  mine  own, 
and  the  fish  [^opinions,  orthodoxy]  thereof  my  own  fish;  (Ez., 
xxix-  3;)  and,  a  river  in  which  no  ship  but  the  clerical  ship, 
the  ship  of  oar,  rowed  by  the  sons  of  orthodoxy,  was  permitted 
either  to  sail  or  to  be  seen  !  Lo  !  it  is  a  river  smitten  in  the 
seven  streams  thereof!  each  of  which  have  taken  other  direc- 
tions, and  formed  for  themselves  new  channels  !  Nay,  looking 
upon  these  things,  may  it  not  thence  be  seen,  that  the  clerical 
tide  of  prosperity  must  of  necessity  have  become  lower,  and 
thus  clianged  in  relation  to  the  objects  thence  intended  ^  Hut, 
if  this  were  not  enough,  then  look  up  again!  Behold  tfie  river 
itself,  thus  smitten — clerically  smitten  in  the  seven  streams 
wliich  should  have  flowed  into  it — becoming  a  stagnant  pool! 
a  generator  of  spiritual  miasmata,  from  vhich  good  New 
Church  men  retreat,  as  from  the  pestilence  thct  stalks  forth  at 
noon  day  !  Nay,  behold  !  the  clerical  ship — the  ship  of  oar — 
about  lo  be  stranded!  The  orthodox  rowers  confounded! 
The  clergy  in  an  agony  of  sweat,  wondering  at  the  low  stage 
of  the  water;  and  why  it  is,  that  any  man  should  desert  the 
oar!  Hark!  do  we  not  hear  them  saying,  that  they  have 
already  been  obliged  to  let  flow  into  the  Precursor  large  ijuan- 
tilies  of  stale  matter  to  fill  its  pages  ?    Do  we  not  hear  them 


TUTEii  PRIESTS,  into  Uit  man  tUow  light  nf  the  J^ew  Jerusalem.  And,  from 
which  light  it  is  feen,  lliat  the  highest  office  the  church  (an  confer  on  one 
of  lier  Mienibcrs,  no  more  scparalct  thai  member  from  the  laiti/,  than  the 
illustration  whence  he  w!i?  calloti  to  that  office  separates  his  soul  from  his 
bud)/.  Thti?,  that  an  oflicer  in  the  New  Jeriis.iltni  differs  in  tiotliini;  from 
the  laity,  hut  nicrelv  in  the  adjoiiicil  olEce,  just  as  a  S|i<:aker  in  tlie  House 
of  Representatives  diflcrs  in  nothing  from  the  rest  of  the  members  of  the 
House,  hut  merely  in  the  office  atljoiiied.  (A.  R.,20;  H.  D.,317.)    (n.  30.) 

a.*).  That,  when  the  olive  or  the  vine  may  blossom  and  bear  fruit 
■whilst  rooted  in  frost-fixed  earth,  whether  in  t/ie  plain,  or  on  the  fop  of 
Chiiii'jnrazo,  merely  from  the  inllui'tice  of  an  atmosphere  supj  osed  to  be 
warmed  by  the  sun's  rays  independently  of  the  earth,  then,  and  not  before, 
may  the  clergy  exclaim,  our  cuUioriti/,  power  and  office  is  from  un  high, 
and  not  from  the  people!    (n.  38.) 


D.  Art.  3.]     Monumental  Beacon,  Earth-Jixed. 


211 


TisV.  ^  why  it  should  be  so  r  and,  at  the  same  time,  exhorting 
the  men  of  the  church  to  open  their  sluices — that  is,  ilie  a/uices 
of  orthodoxy — (especially  seeing,  that  7iow  every  unonhodox 
stream  was  smilien,  shut  out,  and  in  a  hopeful  way  of  being 
dried  up) — so  thai  the  Precursor  might  be  filled  to  overflowing  1 
Nay,  hark!  they  grievously  complain,  that  'there  are  JVew 
Church  men  whose  means  (^abilities]  are  knoivn  to  be  ample, 
but  ?vho  decline  subscribing  altogether^  [putting  a  hand  to  the 
oar.]  Compare  Precursor,  vol.  2,  p.  366.  What  shall  we 
say,  then  ?  Shall  we  not  be  ready  to  conclude,  that  the  tide  of 
clerical  prosperity  has  began  to  flow  backwards.'  But,  if  all 
this  were  not  sufficient,  then,  reader,  look  again  !  and,  behold 
the  Precursor,  which  many  hoped  would  one  day  become  a 
great  river  of  mcmy  streams,  and  a  river,  on  the  tide  of  which 
the  clergy  had  fondly  hoped  to  sail  triumphantly  into  the  ports 
o{  power,  authority,  rule  and  dominion.'  It  has  become  ut- 
terly dried  up  !  the  fish  thereof  s/o/>  the  noses  of  the  passengers! 
the  fowls  of  heaven  have  fled  from  it!  and  men  have  altogether 
forsaken  it !  Nay,  look  !  For,  in  the  bed  of  the  dried  up 
Precursor,  there  stands  the  clerical  ship — the  ship  of  oars-— 
EARTH-riXED  aud  immoveable — a  monumental  beacon,  serving 
no  other  end  than  to  aid  in  marking  the  heavenward  direction 
of  those  who  sail  in  broad  spaces  independently  of  oars  and 
rowers,  (ww) 

From  all  which,  it  cannot  be  doubted,  but  Ahat  the  carrying 
out,  and  operation  thence  of  the  principle  contained  in  Fletcher'' s 
resolution,  by  the  men  of  the  church,  has  resulted  in  causing 
the  tide  of  clerical  prosperity  to  become  changed,  or,  rather 
indeed  to  have  become  utterly  diied  up,  and  thence  also,  that 
the  feet  of  the  clergy  slioidd  begin  to  slide  backwards,  down 
the  steeps  of  earthly  dignity,  dominion  and  glory.  But,  further 
proofs  of  this  position  will  be  elicited  in  some  of  the  numbers 
following. 

182.  But,  pursuing  our  researches  still  faither,  in  relation  to 
clerical  measures  lending  to  the  elevation  and  establishment  of 
an  old  church  priesthood  in  the  New  Church,  it  will  be  recol- 


(wiv)  Tndependently  of  oars,  signilies  independently  of  orthodox  tenets 
in  tlie  shape  of  ecclesiastical  laws;  and  independently  of  rowers,  sii^nifies 
independently  of  the  clergy  who  would  control  the  doctrine  of  the  church 
from  the  Word,  by  means  of  ecclesiastical  laws.  For  ship  signifies  doc- 
trine from  the  Word.  That  such  is  the  trne  signification  oif  oars  and 
roivcrs,  may  be  seen  from  this,  that  the  reason  given  why  no  galley  w  ith 
oars  was  to  be  permitted  to  pats  in  the  br(ad  rivers  or  spaces  spoken  of  by 
Isaiah,  (xxxiii.  dl.)  wns  none  other  than  because  the  Lord  is  our  Judge 
OUR  LAWGIVER,  and  OUR  statute-maker!    (Verse  22.)  ' 


212 


Powers  and  Prerogatives.         [Chap.  VII. 


lecled  that  it  was  said,  in  the  number  just  preceding,  that  no- 
thing in  the  conventional  year  of  1840,  that  was  in  accordance 
M'ith  Fletcher's  resolution,  and  in  opposition  to  the  clerical 
memorabilia  inscribed  ^Ordination  and  a  New  Church  Minis- 
try'' was  permitted  to  see  tlie  light  through  the  Precursor — ex- 
cept a  few  words  from  our  venerable  brother  Sharp.  The 
words  alluded  to  are  these:  that,  '  Rather  than  engage  in  setting 
up  rules  for  the  church,  let  us  look  to  the  Lord  in  prayerful 
humble  rontidence,  that  He  would  guide  and  prevent  us  from 
'sowing  iares  among  the  wheat,  or,  Uzzah  like,  putting  forth 
the  hand  of  6 elf  to  support  the  ark  of  God.'  (Precursor,  vol.  2, 
p.  171.)  And  again,  that  '  the  same  rigliis  are  inherent  in  every 
other  convention  that  may  like  them  [the  Eastern  convention  ] 
associate  for  their  mutual  aid  in  the  regenerate  lile,  and,  with 
the  same  propriety,  miglit  each  arrogate  to  itself  the  title  of  the 
General  convention.'  '  I  liave  always  believed,  that  episcopal 
dignities  once  admitted  into  tlie  New  Church  would  be  baneful 
to  lier  true  interests,  and  would  result,  as  in  the  old  churcli,  in 
clerical  opulence  and  pride;  and  especially  if  connected  with 
the  scheme  of  ty thing. ^  '  Ministers,  therelbre,  in  point  of  dig- 
nity, ought  to  stand  on  the  plane  of  jjcrfect  equality.'  As 
touciiing  these  sentiments,  it  is  worthy  of  strict  notice,  that  the 
clergVi  in  the  October  Precursor,  (vol.  2,  p.  240,)  gravely  al- 
leged, thai  the  agitation  of  these  questions  was  perhaps  pri;ma- 
TURE  ;  that  it  was  a  matter  of  doubt,  whetiier  New  Churcli  men 
were  in  a  condition  to  discuss  them  with  that  coolness  and  de- 
liberation which  their  importance  required;  that  the  influence 
vvliicii  llie  spirit  of  our  republican  government  imparled  to  us, 
had  a  tendency  to  disqualify  us  [New  Cliurch  men]  for  form- 
ing an  accurate  judgment ;  that  intervening  clouds  of  prejudice 
and  falsity  thence  have  obscured  the  first  dawnings  of  tiie 
church  !  Here,  passing  over  t!ie  anti-republicanism  of  llie 
clergy,  and  ail  their  false  suggestions  in  relation  to  tlie  tendency 
of  the  spirit  of  republicanism,  it  is  the  main  object,  at  present, 
simply  to  direct  the  attention  of  the  reader  to  its  being  said  to 
he  premature  to  agitate  the  questions  involved  in  the  communi- 
cation of  brother  Sharp  ;  especially,  seeing  that  the  clergy 
themselves  commenced  a  series  of  essays,  involving  the  very 
same  questions,  only  two  or  three  months  afterwards.  Whence 
it  may  justly  be  concluded,  tliat  the  clergy,  in  saying  that  it  was 
premature  in  brother  Sharp  to  aoitate  questions  which  they 
themselves  agitated  immediately  afterwards,  are  to  be  under- 
stood as  virtually  saying,  that  it  is  premature  in  any  man  to 
agitate  any  tiieological  question  wiiatever,  until  the  clergy  have 
agitated  in  the  ^rsl  place,  seeing,  that,  previously  to  this,  he 


D.  A 1 1.  3. J    M.  Sawyer  on  Power  and  Prerogative.  213 


mi^ht  agitate  it  unorthodoxli/,  that  is,  contrary  to  the  opinion, 
mind  and  will  of  the  clergy  !  as  it  is  written,  «  We  liave  seen 
his  pride,  (he  is  erceedinfr  prouti,)  his  loftiness  and  his  arro- 
gaiicy,  and  the  haughtiness  of  his  heart.  I  know  his  wrath,' 
etc.  (Jer.,  xlvii.  29.)  But,  besides  the  sentiments  noticed 
above  by  our  aged  brother,  we  find,  that  in  the  convention,  in 
1841,  by  means  of  a  written  communication  he  comes  out  still 
plainer.  He  asks,  '  if  we  should  institute  a  temporal  king  and 
kingdom  in  the  New  Church,  in  order  to  represent  the  royalty 
spoken  of  by  E.  Swedenborg?  and  if  not,  why  institute  a  tem- 
poral piiest  or  priesthood  to  represent  the  sacrrdocy?'  He 
asks,  '  Shall  externals  in  the  old  chuicli  authorize  similar  ex- 
ternals in  the  New  ?'  etc.  (See  Precursor,  vol.  2,  p.  374.) 
Not  only  so,  but,  as  if  the  men  of  the  New  Church  had  indeed 
began  to  come  forth  out  of  their  chambers,  we  find,  that,  besides 
the  Errand  Boy  Extra,  and  the  Powers  and  Preroga'ives  of 
the  jyjinislry  of  the  Neto  Church,  (see  the  number  just  prece- 
ding.) and  besides  the  communication  from  brother  Sharp,  just 
noticed,  there  were  several  others  presented  to  this  convention, 
written  in  accordance  with  the  holy  spirit  and  intention  of 
Fletcher^ s  resolution;  two  of  which  shall  here  be  noticed. 
And  first,  that  from  Mr.  Milo  Sawyer  runs  thus  : 

'  I  do  not  hold  to  a  priesthood  independent  of  the  people. 
It  is  true,  the  power  and  qualification  to  .teach  and  preach  are 
from  on  high,  and  the  authority  is  from  the  Lord,  and  not  from 
the  people,  but  through  the  people.  'The  people  are  the  media, 
through  which  the  authority  comes  to  the  priest,  as  well  as  the 
magistrate.  The  right  oi^  kings  are  as  divine  as  the  right  of 
priests  ;  and  it  is  perfectly  idle  to  say,  that  one  has  an  inde- 
pendent  power,  when  he  cannot  exercise  that  power  for  a  mo- 
ment but  by  the  consent  of  others.  The  greatest  monarch  on 
earth  cannot  reign  for  a  single  day  without  fhe  consent  of  his 
people  ;  neither  can  a  minister  teach  or  preach,  but  by  the  con- 
sent of  his  society  or  audience.  Great  powers  given  into  the 
hands  of  kings  or  priests  without  an  acknowledged  responsibility 
to  the  people,  affords  temptations  to,  and  the  means  of  oppres- 
sion. If,  then,  a  republic  is  preferable  to  a  monarchy,  because 
the  magistrate  has  less  power  for  oppression,  and  because  abuses 
of  administration  may  be  corrected  without  bloodshed,  so  also 
the  same  reasons  apply  to  church  government,  and  are  equally 
valid  against  giving  too  much  power,  nominally,  into  the  hands 
of  the  clergy.' 

'  Every  society  has  the  undoubted  right  to  select  its  own 
teacher  or  pastor,  and  if  they  desire  and  recommend  a  person 
for  clerical  orders  for  the  purpose  of  his  becoming  their  pastor, 


214 


Powers  and  Prerogatives.        [Chap.  VII. 


no  ecclesiastical  committee  or  other  body  of  men  should  be  at 
liberty  to  prohibit  it.  The  society  itself,  under  the  Lord,  is 
the  best  judge  of  the  medium  of  spiritual  instruction  to  them, 
and  of  the  necessary  qualifications  of  their  teacher.'  (See  Pre- 
cursor, vol.  2,  p.  379.) 

The  other,  designed  to  be  noticed,  is  from  Mr.  W.  M'Dow- 
ell,  jr.,  containing  the  following,  viz  : 

'  We  are  one  in  holding,  that  the  Lord  is  the  head,  and  the 
church  his  body.  All  intelligence,  light  and  life  must  proceed 
frotn  Him  alone.  He  on!i/  has  the  right  to  guide  and  lead  His 
church,  as  well  as  to  defend  and  protect  it.  We  think  that  we 
are  to  call  no  man  master  upon  earth,  or  implicitly  receive  the 
sayings  and  decisions  of  any  man  or  set  of  men  in  tlie  things 
which  concern  our  present  and  eternal  interests.  The  Word 
should  be  our  onlij  rule  of  life,  it  being  infallible.  Let  each 
individual  receiver  come  into  order,  and  the  whole  of  necessity 
must  become  orderly.  'Make  clean  the  inside  of  the  cup  and 
platter,  that  the  outside  may  be  clean  also.' '  (xx)  (Precursor, 
vol.  2,  p.  375.) 

Nay,  besides  these  letters  or  communications,  tliere  were 
others  addressed  to  the  convention,  at  this  time,  [1841,]  of  a 
similar  character ;  and  especially  one,  in  which  the  principal 
of  the  clergy  in  the  West  was  compared  with,  or  likened  to  a 
Ponii'ih  pope.'  but  \yhich,  with  the  rest  was  not  permitted  iQ 
see  the  light,  through  the  columns  of  the  orthodox  Precursor! 
Ji'/iat  fi/ia/l  we  sai/,  thru?  That  the  voices  and  tlninderings, 
emanating  from  the  Holy  City,  coming  down  from  God  out  of  ' 
heaven — whether  by  the  way  of  the  Errand  Boy  Extra,  the 
Po  wcrs  and  Prerogatives,  or  the  various  other  communications 
just  noticed — resulted  in  silencing  the  clergy,  or  in  stopping 
th  eiTi  in  their  ambitious  strides  alter  earthly  degrees  ol  dignity 
and  dominion  ?  By  no  means  !  For,  as  though  they  had  been 
utterly  deaf  (o  ihe  voice  of  reason  and  revelation,  they,  with  the 
arrogance  of  Lucifer,  scaled  on  the  mount  of  the  congre<j^ation, 
(Isaiah,  xiv.)  proceeded  to  roar  (Psalms,  Ixxiv.)  out  their  pre- 
scriptions, to  Ihe  end  that  they  might  all  be  set  up  by  conven- 
tional laws,  as  ensigns,  standards,  '  standing  rules,''  [^standing 
images  or  calves,']  in  the  New  Church  of  the  Lord.  The  fol- 
lowing is  an  abridged  view  of  the  clerical  roarings  or  prescrip- 
tions at  this  time:  1st.  That,  '  It  is  regarded  as  essential, 
that  a  candidate  for  anv  degree  of  the  ministry  shall  be  of 


(xx)  \\  hat  a  reinarltabic  similarity  of  sentiment  exists  among  New 
Ciiurch  nicn,  on  the  same  subject !  Compare  those  contained  in  tljc  abovo 
letter;,  with  those  in  the  Powers  and  Prerogatives,    Note  (vv) 


D.  Art.  3.]      Clerical  Prescriptions  Analyzed. 


215 


good  moral  character;  that  lie  be  qualified  lo  preach  ihe  doc- 
trines of  ilie  New  Cluirch  in  a  useful  and  acceptublc  manner; 
and  lliat  lie  shall  have  received  the  external  ordinances  of  the 
church  at  the  hands  of  the  clergy.'  2d.  That,  ^  Jill  applications 
for  admission  into  either  of  the  clerical  degrees  shall  be  made 
to  the  clergy  :  if  approved  by  them,  they  shall  submit  tlieir 
decision  to  the  convention  in  session  for  its  approbation,  and 
which  being  approved  the  ordaining  clergy  shall  proceed  to 
ordain  the  applicant  according  to  the  formulary  they  may  deem 
proper,  and  thus,  in  all  cases,  until  a  standing  form  be  set  up 
by  conventional  law.'  3d.  That,  '  No  person  shall  receive  oi- 
dinalion  into  the  priesthood  until  he  shall  have  been  a  known 
receiver  of  the  heavenly  doctrines  of  the  New  Church  for  at 
least  three  years.'  4th.  That,  'The  clergy  sh;ll  be  divided 
into  three  degrees  ;  and  thence  respectively  entitled.  Ordaining 
Minister,  Pastor,  and  Licentiate.'  5tli.  That,  '  The  applica- 
tion for  admission  into  the  first  or  lowest  degree  shall  be  signed 
by  at  least  seven  New  Church  men  ;  and  that  the  candidate 
shall  also  present  to  the  clergy  two  wiitten  discourses.'  6th. 
That,  '  The  application  for  admission  into  the  second  degree 
shall  be  made  by  any  regularly  constituted  society,  the  candid- 
ate having  previously  received  the  first  degree.'  7th.  'J^hat, 
•  The  application  for  admission  into  the  tliird  degree  shall  be 
made  by  the  convention  in  session,'  the  candidate  having  pre- 
viously received  and  exercised  himself  in  the  first  and  second 
degrees.  (Compare  with  Precursor,  vol.  2,  p.  369.)  Respect- 
ing which  prescriptions,  it  will  be  observed,  that  by  the  first 
article,  wherein  good  moral  character  is  set  up  in  the  first 
place,  instead  of  a  holy  zeal  for  truth,  flowing  from  an  ardent 
reception  of  the  heavenly  doctrines, — the  clergy  do  no  other 
than  go  about  to  build  up  the  tower  of  Babel  with  hypocritical 
brick,  instead  of  stone,  and  to  lay  them  in  false  and  abhorrent 
slime,  instead  of  pure  clay  !  Who  knows  not,  that  the  vilest  of 
hypocrites,  from  time  immemorial,  have,  from  the  lust  of  wealth 
and  dominion,  been  able  to  assume  characters  esteemed  both 
good  and  moral  by  the  clergy  ;  and  thence,  put  in  possession 
oifat  benefices,  and  of  dominion,  as  lords  over  God's  heritage? 
The  clerical  standard  of  morals  anciently  in  use,  required  that 
the  clergy  should  keep  concubines  instead  of  lawful  wives ; 
and  what  direction  the  standard  of  morals  of  the  clergy  of  the 
present  day  might  take — knoivelh  no  man!  Yea,  their  morals, 
as  so  many  traditions,  might,  in  case  they  should  succeed  in 
their  ambitious  designs,  take  such  a  direction  as  to  make  void, 
not  only  the  laws  of  Divine  order  laid  in  the  Word,  but,  with 
these,  the  heavenly  doctrines  of  the  New  Jerusalem  !    Not  'jiily 


216 


Powers  and  Prerogatives.         [^Chap.  VII. 


so,  but  in  the  same  article  it  is  said,  that  the  candidate  shall  be 
able  to  preach  the  docirines,  etc.,  in  a  useful  and  acceptable 
manner!  Acceptable  to  whom?  it  is  aslied.  To  the  clergy, 
verily  ;  seeing,  that,  by  their  oun\  prescription,  it  belongs  to 
themselves  alone  to  judge  of  the  cantlidaies  fitness  or  unfitness! 
This  were  as  if  a  class  of  men  were  to  arise  m  the  United  Slates, 
calling  themselves  the  royalty,  and  who  should  thence  go  about 
to  get  their  prescriptions  established  by  law,  the  purport  of 
which  being,  liial  of  all  the  representatives  that  the  people  should 
elect,  none  should  be  permitted  to  serve  but  such  as  could  teach 
and  preach  politics  in  a  useful  and  acceptable  manner — that  is, 
useful  to  promote  the  cause  of  the  royalty,  and  thence  accepta- 
ble to  tliat  august,  self-created  arid  self  constituted  body! 

As  toiicliing  the  2d  article  above  adduced,  see  n.  21  to  72; 
but,  as  touciiing  the  3d  article,  wherein  it  is  prescribed,  that  no 
man  shall  be  ordained  until  he  lias  been  a  convert  to  the  neiv 
dispensation  for  at  least  three  years,  it  will  be  sufficient  to 
suggest,  that  Paul,  who  was  not  a  whit  behind  the  chief  of  the 
apostles,  after  he  had  met  the  Lord  in  his  way  to  Damascus, 
and  was  baptized  and  ordained  by  Ananias,  (a  lay  disciple,) 
'  straightway  preached  Christ  in  the  synagogues,  that  he  is  the 
Son  of  Liod.'  (Acts,  ix.  20.)  And,  as  touching  the  4th,  5th, 
Bill  and  7th  articles  above  adduced,  wherein  the  clergy  have 
prescribed  degrees  of  earthly  dignity  to  themselves,  and  titles 
of  distinction  thence  correspondmg,  because  it  is  designed  to 
treat  of  such  supposed  degrees  in  a  separate  article,  therefore, 
in  this  place  it  is  sufficient  to  observe  in  the  general,  that  not 
only  these  prescriptions,  but  those  just  noticed,  each  and  all, 
like  those  of  certain  primates  in  tlie  convention  of  the  western 
quarter,  tend  to  one  thing,  namely :  fraudulent  dominion  over 
the  things  of  the  church,  and  the  ascription  of  power  to  the 
clergy,  a)ul  little  or  none  to  the  Lord!    (L.  J.,  n.  58.) 

But,  besides  the  clerical  prescriptions  here  adduced  and  com- 
mented upon,  and  which  the  clergy  of  the  TFest  could  not  fheti 
([IS-llJ  get  established — nay,  and  which  we  trust  they  never 
will — ihey,  at  the  same  lime,  farther  prescribed  as  follows  : 
that  '  the  church  feels  the  want  of  a  general  convention  or 
•Sj/nof/,  which,  passing  by  local  peculiarities,  should  take  cogni- 
zance of  the  general  interests  [principles]  of  the  church,  and 
which  siiould  leave  each  section  of  the  church  in  freedom  to 
act  ivithin  the  limits  of  that  order  prescribed  by  the  general 
principles  themselves ;'  and,  that  '  such  general  convention 
should  be  established  to  be  composed  of  delegates  from  each  of 
the  existing  conventions,'  etc.  (See  Precursor,  vol.  2,  p.  356.) 
And,  as  touching  this  clerical  prescription,  blind  indeed  must  he 


D.Art.  3.^    Clerical  Mussitations — General  Synod.  217 

be,  who  is  unable  to  see,  that  the  clergy,  in  going  about  lo  set 
up  such  a  general  Convention  or  Synod,  do  no  oilier  than  go 
about  to  set  up  another  head  in  a  combined  unity  besides 
Christ,  whicli  might  serve  as  a  centre  of  influx,  and  thence  as 
a  source  of  ecclesiastical  law  to  the  entire  church.  (See  n.  49, 
art.  17  lo21,  also  n.  147,  148.)  But,  ihai  si:ch  is  the  case, 
may  be  known  to  all  who  will  take  the  pains  to  attend  lo  the 
clerical  mussitations  in  favor  of  the  prescription  or  measure  in 
question  ;  inasmuch  as  in  these  mussilaiions  we  find,  that  the 
clergy  of  the  H'^est  call  upon  their  breihren  to  unite  witli  them 
in  ^persuading  every  individual,  every  society,  and  every  asso- 
ciation in  the  country,  to  turn  their  eyes  (not  to  the  Lord,  the 
centre  of  Divine  influx,  but)  to  one  central  point,  [meaning  the 
general  co.iveniion  which  they  liad  prescribed,]  which  shall  be 
the  orderly  medium  of  influx  to  the  entire  church.'!'  (See 
Precursor,  vol.  3,  p.  22.)  Nay,  they  farther  allege,  that 
♦  neither  ihe  Middle  nor  the  Cincinnati  Convention  possesses  a 
central  form  sufficient  to  attract  to  one  point  the  general 
church,'  so  as  to  he  thence  governed  ! — that,  '  because  various 
notions,  in  rein  ion  to  the  derivation  of  the  powers  and  prero- 
gatives of  the  clergy,  have  their  exponents  in  the  conventions, 
therefore  it  is  impossible  for  conventions  so  constituted  to 
LEGISLATE  for  the  church  !'  Here  we  see  the  nefarious  and 
ambitious  schemes  of  the  clergy,  brought  out  at  last  into  open 
day  light .'  The  men  of  the  Lord's  New  Church  are  to  be 
persuaded  to  turn  their  eyes  to  a  general  convention,  which 
shall  be  as  a  central  sun,  a  centre  of  influx  to  the  entire  church  ! 
They  are  to  be  persuaded  to  aid  in  setting  up  another  head,  in 
a  combined  unity  over  the  church,  to  give  laws  to  it,  besides 
Christ  the  true  head — the  central  Sun  of  all  righteousness — the 
centre  of  all  influx,  divine  and  holy;  and  the  true  Judge  and 
Lawgiver  of  his  churL-h.  In  the  '  Powers  and  Prerogatives* 
it  is  said,  that  '  he  who  in  a  single  or  combined  uniiy  sets  him- 
self above  other  receivers  by  giving  laws  and  presenting  rules 
to  such  as  are  every  way  his  equals,  advances  himself  as  an- 
oMer  Aeaf/ besides  Christ;  and  thus,  to  all  intents  and  purposes, 
becomes  an  .Antichrist.*  Whence  it  becomes  manifest,  that, 
in  so  far  as  the  clergy  go  about  to  set  up  another  head,  another 
central  sun,  another  centre  of  influx,  from  which  to  give  laws 
of  order  to  the  church,  in  so  far  do  they,  as  the  true  ministers 
of  .Antichrist,  go  about  to  set  up  .Antichrist — yea,  to  support 
the  dragon  in  maintaining  his  post  before  the  Woman  !  (See 
n.  147.)  But,  why  do  the  clergy  of  the  West  go  about  groan- 
ing after  another  head  besides  Christ?  Is  it  not  because,  in 
the  convention  composed  of  New  Church  n.en  as  well  as  the 

19 


218 


Powers  and  Prerogatives.       [Chap.  VIL 


clergy,  that  the  clergy  cannot  get  their  usurped  powers  and 
prerogatives  acknowledged,  by  ilie  way  of  ecclesiasiical  laws, 
to  their  satisfuclion  ?  and,  that  they  cannot  find  or  obtain,  by 
means  of  conventional  laws,  that  nurture  und  indulgence  for 
their  besetting  sin,  after  which  their  bowels  yearn  !  Nay,  that 
such  is  the  case,  may  be  seen  from  this,  that  the  clerical  pre- 
scription in  relation  to  the  general  convention  or  synod  is,  that 
it  shyll  be  composed  oi  delegates  from  the  three  provincial  con- 
ventions. For  who  shall  be  the  delegates  ?  The  clergy  or 
those  making  one  with  them  ?  Nay,  rather  the  clergy  pirelv, 
seeing  iliat  they  had  prescribed,  that  the  synod  in  question  should 
be  constituted  of  such  materials,  as  to  be  a  centre  of  injlux  to  the 
entire  church  ;  and,  consequently,  that  it  should  be  constituted 
purely  of  themselves — whom  they  suppose  are  the  mediums  of 
influx  to  the  laity,  and  not  vice  versa.  (tSee  Precursor,  vol.  2,  p. 
10.)  Whence,  the  clerical  craft  [priestcraft]  in  the  case  before 
us,  when  dr-igued  out  into  the  light,  divested  of  its  sheep''s 
clothing,  appears  to  he  this  :  that,  the  clergy  discovering,  that  in 
convention,  where  the  men  of  the  church  (whom  they  arrogantly 
call  the  laity)  aio  permitted  to  be  heard  equally  with  themselves, 
it  were  next  to  impossible  to  find  or  obtain,  through  conven- 
tional laws,  a  sufficiency  of  nurture  and  indulgence  for  their 
besetting  sin  ;  that,  in  such  conventions,  it  were  next  to  im- 
possible for  them  to  get  it  properly  acknowledged  that  their 
power,  authority  and  influx  were  fro7n  on  high  independent  of 
thelaiiy;  and,  ihetefoie,  next  to  impossible  to  bring  the  laity 
into  strict  subordination — to  take  them  in  their  net  like  fishes 
of  the  sea  who  have  no  ruler  [internal]  over  them,  (Hab.,  i.,) 
and  to  5;iflre  them  in  holes,  and  shut  them  up  in  prison  houses  ; 
(Isa.,  xlii.  22;)  and  therefore  also  it  is,  that  they  must  now 
(if  possible)  get  a  general  synod  set  up  as  a  central  sun  J  a 
centre  of  influx .'  ostensibly  to  take  cognizance  of  the  general 
INTERESTS  of  the  entire  church  ;  but  really,  in  which  to  enact 
ecclesiasiical  laws,  by  which  to  seize  upon  the  dominion  over 
the  church  and  kingdom  of  heaven!  and  through  which,  to 
find  iiurlure  and  indulgence  to  their  besetting  sin,  to  overflow- 
ing! Not  only  so,  but  therefore  also  it  is,  that  they  go  about 
io  persuade  the  members  of  the  church,  that  they  feel  the  ivant 
of  such  a  general  synod;  when  the  truth  is.  they  no  more  feel 
the  leant  of  it,  than  they  feel  the  want  of  a  Spanish  Inquisition! 
or,  than  the  prophet  ^^mos  fell  the  want  of  Jeroboam's  chapel, 
against  which  he  prophesied!  (vii,  13.)  But  the  reason  why 
they  thus  persuade  the  men  of  the  church,  is  because  they  ig- 
norantly  suppose,  that  if  they  can  possibly  succeed  in  cajoling 
the  men  of  the  church  so  as  to  co-operate  with  them  in  the  es- 


D.  An.  3.3  Priestcraft  Unmasked. 


'219 


tablishinfiiit  of  a  general  council  or  synod,  wherein  themselves 
alone  shall  be  constituiecl  supreme  law-makers  and  law-givers 
to  the  entire  church,  and  whose  ecclesiastical  laws  thence  should 
therefore  be  paramow^t  to  all  others  bearing  thai  name, — then, 
that  the  man  of  the  church  in  such  state  is  u  be  held,  as  fast 
bound  by  his  own  co-operative  acts,  10  yield  implicit  obedience 
to  every  ecclesiasiical  law,  which  the  clergy  in  such  general 
council  or  synod  may  see  fit  to  impose  upon  him  ;— although 
such  laws  ever  have  tended,  and  ever  will  tend  to  one  thing, 
namely,  that  of  affording  an  abundant  supply  of  nurture  and 
indulgence  to  the  clerical  besetting  sin — to  that  of  constituting 
the  clergy  lords  over  God's  heritage — to  that  of  placing  the 
houses  of  God  in  their  posscsaion  !  (Compare  with  Psalms, 
Ixxxiii.  11,  12.) 

From  the  things  that  have  here  been  adiluced,  the  craft  of 
the  clergy  may  be  seen,  by  him  who  is  willing  to  see,  in  all  its 
naked  and  native  deformity.  It  may  be  heie  seen  how  '  They 
have  taken  crafty  counsel  against  the  people  of  the  Lord,  and 
(how)  they  have  consulted  [roared  in  liie  congregations  of  the 
Lord]  against  his  hidden  ones:'  (Ps.,  Ixxxiii.  .3:) — how  it  is, 
that  '  they  frame  mischief  by  a  law:'  (Ps.,  xciv.  20;  Iviii.  2; 
Isa.,  X.  1;  and  Amos,  vi.  1:)— how  it  is,  that  '  they  set  a  trap 
and  catch  men:'  (Jer.,  v.  26,  27:)— how  it  is,  that  'they 
GATHER  men  in  their  drag  and  thence  rejoice  and  are  glad:' 
(Hab.,  i.  15:) — how  it  is,  that  iliey  'ensnare  the  people  of 
God  in  holett  and  hide  them  in  prison  houses ;'  (Isa.,  ilii.  22:) 
and,  in  a  word,  it  may  here  be  seen  how  it  is,  that  '  they  lie  in 
WAIT  secretly  to  cutch  the  poor — to  draiv  them  into  their  net 
— CROUCHING  and  humbling  themselves,  that  the  poor  may  fall 
into  their  strong  parts  !'   (Ps.,  x.  9,  10.) 

Robertson,  in  his  Charles  V.,  (p.  327,)  observes,  that  a  novel 
spectacle  was  exhibited  in  the  16th  century,  and  that,  at  which 
the  first  protestants,  in  particular,  miglitily  wondered ;  and 
which  was  no  other  than  some  forty  prelates  gravely  taking  it 
upon  themselves  to  hold  a  council,  and  thence  to  frame  ecclesi- 
astical laws  for  the  entire  church !  But,  '  That  which  hath 
been  shall  be  again  :'  whence,  we  find,  that  in  the  nineteenth 
century,  the  clergy  of  the  fVest  call  upon  their  brethren  every 
where  to  unite  with  them  m  persuading  the  men  of  the  church, 
i\\2iX  xhey  feel  th:'  'oanl  >f  a  ^enl  U  council  to  be  composed 
purely  of  prelates,  [the  clergy,]  clothed  with  power  to  give 
laws  of  order  to  the  entire  New  Church  of  the  Lord;  and, 
which  general  council  should  (because  constituted /)wre/y  of  the 
clergy  thus  clothed  with  power)  be  conceived  of  as  a  central 
point— di  central  sun — a  centre  of  influx,  to  which  all  New 


220 


Powers  and  Prerogatives.        [Chap.  VII. 


Church  men  should  turn  their  eyes  !  From  which  it  becomes 
plain  enough,  that  the  clergy  of  the  West  have  become  so  in- 
fected with  the  botch  of  Babylon,  and  the  lust  of  Babel-building 
thence,  that  they  insanely  desire  to  be  delegated  to  meet  in 
General  Council  ,  (perhaps  on  the  isthmus  of  Darien  at  Pana- 
ma, of  J.  Q.  Adams  memory,)  to  the  end,  that,  should  their 
number  only  amount  to  five,  instead  of  forty-five,  (the  number 
at  which  the  first  Protestants  wondered,)  they  nevertheless 
might  thence  gravely  go  about  to  prescribe  laws  of  order  for 
the  UNIVERSAL  church  and  kingdom  of  the  Lord  over  the  face 
of  the  WHOLE  GLOBE  ! !  Not  only  so,  but  also  that  they  might 
thence  write  [authoritatively  establish]  the  grievousness  [the 
laws,  statutes  or  decrees'\  which  they  had  prescribed  !  (Com- 
pare with  Isaiah,  x.  1.)  Ah,  Lord,  what  inflated  'dying  worms 
are  we  !'  »  How  is  the  gold  become  dim  !  how  is  the  most 
fine  gold  changed  !'  '  The  inhabitants  of  the  world  would  not 
have  believed,  that  the  enemy  [the  wrath  of  an  old  church 
priesthood]  should  have  entered  into  the  gates  of  (the  New) 
Jerusalem.'  But  this  hatli  come  to  pass  '  bec.use  of  the  iniqui- 
ties  of  her  priests,  [the  clergy,]  who  have  polluted  themselves 
with  blood,  [their  besetting  sin,]  so  that  man  could  not  touch 
their  garments  !  (Lam.,  iv.  1,  12,  13,  14.)  '  The  prophet  and 
the  priest  [the  clergy]  make  merchandise  of  the  land,'  [the 
church.]  (Jer.  xiv.,  18.)  '  O  my  people  !  they  which  lead 
thee  cause  thee  to  err,  and  destroy  the  way  of  thy  paths.' 
(Isa.,  iii.  12.)  '  Nevertheless,  the  days  come  that  the  house  of 
Jacob  shall  no  more  stay  upon  him  that  smote  them,  hut  shall 
atay  upon  the  Lord  the  Holy  One  of  Israel  in  truth.'  (Isa., 
X.  20.) 

N:iy,  farther,  in  Isaiah  we  are  taught,  concerning  those  who 
speak  out  of  the  ground,  whose  voice  is  as  of  one  who  hath  a 
familiar  spirit,  and  whose  speech  shall  whisper,  peep,  chirp, 
mutter  or  mussitaie  low  out  of  the  dust,  namely:  that  they 
shall  be  visited  of  the  Lord  of  hosts  with  thunder,  earthquake, 
great  noise,  storm  and  tempest,  and  with  the  flame  of  devour- 
ing fire,  (xxix.  4,  6.)  Whence,  that  something  more  (however 
minute)  may  be  contributed  to  prepare  the  way  of  such  visita- 
tion, in  relation  to  the  clergy  of  the  fVest,  we  shall  here  notice 
a  few  other  of  their  whisperings,  peepings,  etc.,  concerning 
that  central  point,  central  sun,  or  general  council,  towards  which 
they  have  turned  their  eyes,  as  they  here  follow,  r'lz:  That  •a 
General  Council  representing  the  church — legislating  for  the 
good  of  the  w\io\e— framing  its  laws  wisely  and  deliberately — 
accommodating  them  to  circumstances — contenting  itstif  with 
recommending  them, — ought  to  be  honored,  and  will  be  obeyed 


D.  Art.  3.3      Clerical  Wliisperings  Analyzed.  221 


by  all  lovers  of  true  order.  Nay,  such  a  council  will  be  re- 
garded wiih  respect  and  confidence.^  (See  Piecuisor,  vol.  3, 
p.  25.)  But  here  observe,  that  New  Church  men  can  never 
regard  such  councils  or  conveniions  either  with  respect  or  con- 
fidence, seeing  it  were  utterly  impossible  for  them  to  know, 
but  that  they  are  essentially  the  same  with  those  held  by  the 
prelates  of  Rome  in  the  darkest  age  of  the  church.  The  cir- 
cumstance of  sncli  councils  being  composed  of  prelates  claimirig 
to  be  of  the  New  Church,  merits  not  a  single  ounce  of  confi- 
dence in  iheir  favor  more  ihan  were  they  composed  of  prelates 
claiming  to  be  o{  liie  old  church;  but  more  especially,  when 
the  intention,  in  both  cases,  is  declared  to  be  the  same,  namely, 
to  LEGISLATE — to  cuact  lavvsof  Order  for  the  church.  Whence, 
becavise  councils  composed  of  ecclesiastics,  claiming  to  be  of 
the  New  Church,  may,  from  the  lust  of  domination,  equally 
witli  councils  composed  of  ecclesiastics  claiming  to  be  of  the 
old  church,  'write  the  gkievousness  which  they  have 
prescribed' — that  is,  establish  grievotis  decrees,  by  which  to 
dominate  over  the  things  of  heaven — therefore  it  is,  tliat  Swe- 
denborg,  without  making  any  exceptions  whatever,  teaches  the 
men  of  the  New  Church  to  place  no  confidence  in  councils,  but 
to  go  to  the  Lord,  thus  to  the  Word.' — And,  in  going  there, 
we  find  it  written  in  Jeremiah,  '  Cursed  is  he  that  trusteth  in 
man,  and  makelh  flesh  his  arm, — wliose  heart  departeth  from 
the  Lord.'  How  can  a  man  put  confidence  in  councils  com- 
posed of  men,  without  putting  confidence  in  men?  And,  how 
can  man  put  confidence  in  men  without  trusting  in  man — thus 
without  falling  under  the  curse  of  departing  in  his  heart  from 
the  Lord?  In  Isaiah,  xxix.,  it  is  said,  'They  draw  near  to  me 
with  their  lips,  [external,]  but  their  heart  [internal]  is  departed 
far  from  me;  and  [the  reason  is]  their  fear  towards  me  is  taught 
by  laws  or  statutes  of  men's  devising.'  Of  what  avail  then  is 
it,  that  the  clergy  of  the  JVest  talk  of  framing  their  laws  iviscly 
and  deliberately  ;  and  also  of  accommodating  them  to  circum- 
stances?' etc. — Nay,  every  New  Church  man  knows,  that  the 
clergy  of  the  old  church  were  sufficiently  hypocritical  to  talk 
in  the  very  same  style,  notwithstanding  all  the  abominations 
of  the  abyss  in  the  shape  of  ecclesiastical  laws,  that  they,  at  the 
same  time,  imposed  upon  the  church  ! 

But,  the  clergy  proceed  in  their  whisperings  thus  :  that  '  A 
general  convention,  (or  council,)  like  a  CENTRAL  SUN, 
will  sustain  associations,  societies  and  individuals,  which,  re- 
acting harmoniously  upon  the  centre,  shall  bind  the  whole 
into  one  body;' — that  'the  positions  of  the  three  conventions 
bing  antagonistic,  is  therefore  a  position  of  rivalry  which  must 

19* 


222 


Powers  and  Prerogatives. 


[Chap.  VII. 


result  in  jealousy  and  unchariiableness and  that,  therefore, 
♦  a  commiitee  should  jointly  be  appointed  by  the  three  Conven- 
tions, wiih  as  little  delay  as  possible,  authorized  to  adopt  tlie 
present  established  code  of  ecclesiastical  latvs,  or  frame  another 
code  according  to  their  best  judgment.'  But  here  we  will  only 
stop  to  ask,  what  confidence  can  be  placed  in  ecclesiastical 
laws,  flowing  from  the  best  judgment  or  experience  of  men,  in 
whom  we  have  good  reason  to  believe,  (and  especially  from 
their  own  acknowledgment.)  that  '  the  monster  self-love  is  con- 
tinually rising  up,  and  clutching  at  all  it  can  reach,  and 
striving  to  bring  them  into  subordination?^  (See  Precursor, 
vol.  3,  p.  165.) 

But,  they  proceed  :  '  Coming  up  to  this  good  work  in  a  right 
spirit,  there  is  no  doubt  but  that  the  result  will  be  all  that  can 
be  desired  by  the  church.'  Here  it  is  to  be  observed,  that  if  it 
had  been  said,  that  the  result  will  be  all  that  the  love  of  self  and 
the  lust  of  domination  in  the  clergy  can  desire,  it,  doubtless, 
would  have  approximated  nearer  to  the  truth. 

But,  they  proceed  still  farther,  thus  :  '  It  is  not  to  be  denied, 
tliat  there  is  a  feeling  of  jealousy  and  a  want  of  confidence 
cherished  towards  the  clergy,  arising  not  only  from  the  expe- 
rience of  past  ages,  but  also,  from  recent  indications  which  the 
clergy  have  betrayed  in  the  councils  or  conventions  of  the  church, 
by  a  disposition  to  speak  authoritatively.  But  admitting  the 
existence  of  the  love  of  rule  in  the  clergy,  yet  there  is  no  fear 
to  be  apprehended  from  an  undue  exercise  of  it;  for  there  is 
nothing  of  either  worldly  distinction  or  profitable  sinecures,'' 
(which  can  possibly  reach  them  so  as)  '  to  excite  their  cupidity, 
and  cause  them  to  encroach  on  the  rights  of  the  laity!'  Here 
we  are  favored  wiih  a  clerical  testimony  in  behalf  of  clerical 
innocence  and  purity!  However,  New  Church  men  must 
'leed.s  be  rather  inclined  to  adopt  the  clerical  testimony  given  in 

he  Precursor,  as  just  quoted  above,  namely  :  that,  '  the  monster 
self-love  is  continually  rising  up,  and  clutching  at  all  it  can 

fjach,'  etc.  Nay,  let  the  reader  turn  to  the  clerical  report,  in 
ihe  number  just  preceding,  and  wherein  the  clergy  have  pre- 
icrib'  d  different  degrees  of  vvordly  distinction  for  themselves, 
ind  titles  thence  corresponding ;  and  thence  let  him  turn  gen- 
•^rally  to  the  things  contained  in  the  preceding  numbers,  if  he 
would  know  something  of  clerical  ambition  and  domination — 

heir  own  whisperings  or  chirpings,  in  relation  to  clerical  in- 

locence  and  purity,  to  the  contrary  notwithstanding  ! 

But  ag;.in,  in  the  same  place,  though  on  another  subject,  they 
whisper,  or  rather  chirp  forth  as  follows :    •  Where  were  you, 


D.  An.  3.]     Clerical  Whisperings  Analyzed. 


223 


my  beloved  brelhren,  when  this  resolution,  so  discordant  to 
the  ear,  and  so  unharmnnious,  received  your  approbiiiion  ? 
Surely  your  usual  wisdom  and  sagacity  had  forsaken  you  ; 
some  drowsy  power  musl  have  waved  liis  wand  over  you,'  etc. 
Here  we  stop  to  observe,  that  the  resolution  spoken  of  was 
one  that  was  passed  in  1838,  in  the  Enslern  Convention,  by 
the  clergy  of  the  East ;  (see  n.  178;)  the  iinportof  which  was, 
that  New  Church  societies,  or,  what  is  the  same  thing,  New 
Church  men,  must  become  organized  agreeably  to  the  prescrip- 
tions of  ihc  clergy  ;  (and  which  grievousness  ihey  had  caused 
to  be  WRITTEN — that  is,  aiilhoriiaiively  fixed  in  the  shape  of 
ecclesias(ical  laws;)  or,  otherwise,  be  excluded  from  having  a 
voice  in  the  conventions  or  congregations  of  the  Lord.  This 
resohnion — being  an  ahlionence  to  New  Church  men  who  had, 
whenever  they  could  cause  their  voice  to  be  heard,  declared, 
that  the  men  of  the  New  Church  should  be  left  in  perfect  free- 
do??!  to  organize  themselves  as  tliey  might  see  fit,  (see  n.  168, 
176,) — resulted  in  causing  whole  societies,  to  fall  off  from  the 
Eastern  Convention  altogether ;  and  thence,  as  might  reasonably 
be  expected,  in  leaving  the  clergy  of  the  East  in  deep  distress. 
This  circumstance,  so  far  from  disconcerting  the  clergv  of  the 
IFest,  who  viewed  the  positions  of  the  different  Conventons  as 
antago?ilstic,  and  as  positions  of  rivalry,  (see  above,)  must  of 
necessity  have  been  quite  gratifying  to  them.    Nay,  from  the 
fact  of  the  clerical  acknowledgment,  that  the  positions  of  the 
different  conventions  were  not  only  antago?iislical,  but  of 
rivalry,  it  becomes  manifest,  that  they  virtually  acknowledged 
thai  the  strife  is  and  ivill  be  which  of  them  shall  lake  most  of 
the  societies  or  houses  of  God  into  possessio??  !   Thus  fulfilling 
that  which  is  written,  in  David,  saying,  '  Make  their  nobles 
like  Oreb  and  Zeeb,  who  say,  let  us  take  to  ourselves  the 
houses  of  God  into  possession.'  ^  (Psalms,  Ixxxiii.  5,  IJ.)  But 
it  should  be  remembered,  'hat  the  clergy  of  the  West,  notwith- 
stmding  their  fine  chirpings  against  their  brethren  in  the  East, 
had  themselves  already  prescribed  a  decree — yea,  and  had 
caused  the  grievousness  they  had  prescribed  to  be  written, 
[fixed  or  set  up  as  a  law;]  (Isa.,  x.  1;)  the  import  of  which 
was,  that  New  Church  men,  wishing  to  organize  themselves 
into  societies,  should  make  application  to  the  ordai?iing  clergy ; 
and,  that  the  acti?ig  com?nittee  should  have  authority  to  give 
such  aid  in  carrying  out  the  oEcrsiONS  of  the  ordaining  clergy 
as  circumstances  might  require,  (n.  180.)    Whence  it  is  evi- 
dent, that,  as  touching  the  principle  from  which  the  abhorrent 
resolution  in  question  flowed,  the  clergy  of  the  West  and  those 
of  the  East  had  consulted  ivith  one  consent.  (Ps.,  Ixxxiii.  5.) 


1^24 


Powers  and  Prerogatives.         [Chap,  VII. 


The  difference  between  them  only  lay  in  this,  that  ihe  clergy 
of  the  TVest  had  not,  as  yet,  caused  it  to  be  written,  that  such 
New  Church  as  refused  to  be  nrsranized  according  lo  the  cler- 
ical prescription  or  decision,  (hackeil  by  the  executive  officers 
of  the  clergy.)  should  therefore  be  excluded  from  the  TVestern 
Convention. — while  this  step,  as  before  seen,  the  clergy  of  the 
East  had  caused  to  be  taken.  But,  here  the  question  arises, 
why  the  clergy  of  the  TVest  should  grievoiisli/  complain  of 
their  brethren  in  the  East,  when  tlicir  only  fault  lay  in  carry- 
ing out  a  principle  held  in  common  by  both,  a  step  beyond 
wliat  themselves  had  yet  ventured  to  take?  But,  how  ttie  case 
is,  may  be  seen  by  looking  for  a  moment  at  the  7iatttre  of  the 
complaints  uttered  by  the  clergy  of  the  TVest;  for  iht  rein  it 
will  be  seen,  that  the  step  taken  by  the  clergy  of  the  East  is 
not  complnined  of  as  being  a  fcdse  ^trp  by  any  means,  but  only 
as  being  discordant  to  the  ear  and  unhcmnonious  !  Nay,  that 
by  discordance,  which  indeed  signilies  what  is  false,  the  clergy 
of  the  TVest  mean  something  else,  appears  from  their  farther 
whi&j)erings,  namely:  that  'The  Convention  (meaning  the 
eastern  clergy  and  their  instruments)  was  in  fault,  (not  for  per- 
sisting in  a  false  coarse,  but)  in  persisting  in  a  course  of  action 
so  impetuous  as  to  despise  petition  and  remonstrance,  and  so 
refractory  as  to  disregard  the  authority  of  the  laity  which  had 
hitherto  been  respected.'  Here  it  may  be  said,  that  one  must 
be  blind  indeed,  if  he  is  still  unable  to  get  a  ch(e  to  what  the 
clergy  of  the  TT'est  mean  by  t!iiiii;s  discordant  and  iinharino- 
nious  to  the  ear;  seeing,  themselves  virtually  define  it  to  be 
nothing  more  than  impetuosity  in  writing  [fixing  authorita- 
tively] clerical  prescriptions,  regardless  of  the  petition,  re- 
monstrance, or  the  authority  of  the  men  of  the  church. 
Whence,  also,  it  becomes  manifest,  that  the  reason  why  they 
call  such  writing  or  action  discordant  and  iinharmonious, 
is,  as  said  before,  not  because  it  is  false  by  any  means ; 
but  because  of  its  prematurity — tt>at  is,  because  of  its  being 
■authorilativvly  presented  and  established  before  the  ears  oj  the 
men  of  the  church  had  by  progressive  stages  arrived  at  that 
state  as  to  be  able  to  hear  it  without  offence.  In  n.  172,  it  is 
stated,  that  in  1829,  the  clergy  reported,  that  the  power  of 
licensing  and  ordaining  cnight  to  be  relinquished  to  the  clergy, 
and  that  it  of  right  appertained  to  them  ;  but  that,  nevertheless, 
for  certain  reasons  the  consideration  of  the  subject  ought  to  be 
postponed  !  Also,  it  is  there  stated,  that  the  reason  why  it  was 
recommended  lo  thus  postpone  that  important  clerical  measure 
must  of  necessity  have  been  to  the  end  that  time  might  be  given 
tlie  jnea  of  the  church,  so  that  their  ears  might  in  some  good 


D.  Art.  3.3      Clerical  Whisperings  Analyzed. 


225 


degree  become  reconciled  to  it ;  so  that  its  harshness  and  dis- 
cordance might  become  somewhat  melbwed  by  lime;  and  so 
that  the  evil  and  the  false  on  '  the  head  and  front  of  it'  might 
perchance  become  acceptable,  or,  at  least,  less  monstrous  and 
offensive.  As  touching  which,  it  is  only  to  be  observed,  that 
these  statements  might  perhaps  have  been  conceived  bv  some 
as  being  sufficient  ground  or  foundation,  had  not  the  clergy  of 
the  ff  est,  in  the  case  before  us,  betrayed  the  great  secret  of 
clerical  craft  or  cunning,  namely:  by  disclosing  the  fact,  that 
by  harshness  and  discordance  to  the  ear  of  measures  and  pre- 
scriptions tending  in  any  wise  to  elevate  the  clergy  in  power, 
they  do  not  mean  that  they  are  false  at  all,  but  only,  that  they 
have  been  acted  upon  with  too  great  impetuosity — that  is,  be- 
fore the  cars  of  the  laity  had  in  some  good  degree  become  recon- 
ciled to  them.  Whence,  we  behold  at  length  the  great  secret 
of  priestcraft  laid  bare  and  exposed  in  nil  its  monstrous  deformity  ! 
Not  only  so,  but,  by  way  of  confirmation,  light  a  candle,  search, 
and  yon  shall  find,  thai  there  has  scarcely  ever  been  a  measure 
presented,  tending  to  establish  the  ambitious  claims  of  the  clergy, 
and  thence  their  dominion  over  the  souls  of  the  laity,  that  ihey 
ever  have  attempted  to  put  down,  as  being  false  and  evil,  or  as 
flowing  from  the  love  of  self  and  the  lusi  of  domination, — how- 
ever mightily  they  may  have  cried  out  against  it  as  being  a 
discordant  measure,  or  a  prescription  that  strikes  the  ear  un- 
harmonionsly.  Expediency !  expediency,  rather  than  truth, 
is  the  word  containing  the  talismanic  charm  in  clerical  estima- 
tion ;  whence  it  is,  that  when  they  cry  out  against  the  discord- 
ance of  clerical  prescriptions,  they  only  mean,  that  it  is  inexpe- 
pedient  to  write  them — that  is,  to  set  up  authoritatively  their 
grievousness  or  bondage  to  the  laity,  until  they  can,  by  prepara- 
tory steps,  be  in  some  degree  reconciled  to  it!  They  only 
mean,  that,  to  write  the  grievousness  which  they  have  pre- 
scribed, (Isa.,  X.  1,)  previously  to  tlie  taking  of  such  prepara- 
tory steps,  were  as  if  a  fowler  should  enclose  the  authoritative 
wings  of  his  net  before  the  game  had  been  completely  decoyed 
within  its  precincts.  Nay,  it  is  of  such  inexpediency  that  the 
clergy  of  the  ff'est  most  grievously  complain  ! — exclaiming, 
"Surely,  your  usual  wisdom  and  Id/"  sagacity  c^Ol  [^cunning 
crafij  had  lorsaken  you  !  some  drowsy  power  must  have  waved 
his  wand  over  you,  causing^  you  to  forcrpt  the  ml^  of  r.^coM- 
mendation.'  For  what  is  all  this,  but  compariug  tlie  clergy  of 
the  East  to  a  drowsy  fowler  who  should  let  tlie  game  escape, 
from  neglecting  to  lure  it,  as  of  its  own  freedom,  by  means  of 
a  decoy  duck  or  something  else  equally  recommending,  com- 
pletely within  the  toils  before  he  attempted  auihoritatively  to 


S26 


Powers  and  Prerogatives. 


[Chap.  VII. 


enclose  it.  But,  concerning  that  clerical  sagacity,  cunning  or 
crajt,  of  the  want  of  wliich  in  the  clergy  of  llie  East,  the  clergy 
in  the  West  grievously  complain,  David  says,  '  The  wicked  lie 
in  wccit  secretly  to  catch  the  poor  by  drawing  them  into  their 
net.  They  crouch  and  humble  themselves,  that  the  poor  may 
fall  into  their  strong  parts.'  (Ps.,  x.  9,  10.)  Nevertheless, 
let  the  true  saints  of  the  Lord  rejoice  ;  and  let  New  Church  men 
saj",  '  niessed  be  the  Lord,  who  has  not  given  us  as  a  prey  to 
their  teeth.  Our  soul  is  escaped  as  a  bird  out  of  the  snare  oj 
the  fowlers  ;  the  snare  is  broken,  and  ive  arc  escaped.  Our 
help  is  in  the  name  of  the  Lord,  who  made  heaven  and  earth.' 
(Psalms,  cxxiv.  6.  7,  8.  See  also  Ps.,  ix.  15;  xxv.  15;  xxxi. 
4;  xxxvi.  7;  Ivii.  6;  and  Ixvi.  11.) 

Therefore,  let  it  be  had  in  perpetual  remembrance  by  the 
men  of  the  New  Christian  Church,  that  the  clergy  of  ihe  Old 
did,  in  the  first  pbice,  by  me-ms  of  their  two-horned-lamb-like 
recommendations,  decoy  and  allure  the  laity  within  the  toils  of 
the  clerical  snare  or  net;  and,  in  the  second  place,  with  the 
authoritative  voice  of  a  dragon,  enclosed  them  within  their 
toils  in  such  manner,  that  escape  was  rendered  impracticable 
for  a  thousand  years!  Nay,  wiihin  which  toils,  the  great  body 
of  the  men  of  the  church  rem  iin  entangled  even  til  this  day! 
And,  '  O  Lord,  how  long  shall  it  be  ere  their  nets  become  broken 
and  emptied!  how  lontr  shall  it  be  ere  they  cease  continually  to 
slay  the  nations!'    (Hab.,  i.  17.) 

But  again,  in  relation  to  the  clerical  whisperings  under  con- 
sideration, it  is  an  ever  memorable  circumstance,  that  the  clergy 
of  the  If'est,  after  venting  their  complaints  and  reproaches 
against  their  brethren  in  the  £ast  fir  having  attempted  to  seize 
upon  the  rights  of  tiie  laity  impetuously,  prematurely,  or  dis- 
cordantly— that  is,  previously  to  their  having  advanced  as  of 
themselves  wiihin  the  clerical  toils,  did  then  gravely  go  about 
to  quiet  the  apprehensions  of  the  laity,  in  relation  to  clerical 
authority,  rule  and  domination  ;  and.  if  possible,  to  lull  them 
into  perfect  security  in  relation  to  the  clerical  snare  or  net,  as 
though  it  were  utterly  impossible  for  such  a  thing  to  exist  with 
men  claiming  to  be  of  the  New  Church!  And,  that  such  is 
really  the  case,  hear  their  own  ivhisperings  or  peepings,  low 
out  of  the  dust.  They  are  as  follows:  '/f«/se  dor'nnes  and 
creeds,  as  well  as  clerical  domination  belong  to  the  old  chtcrch. 
The  man  of  the  New  Churcli  will  be  a  reader;  he  will  be  in- 
telligent, so  that  he  and  his  7ninister  will  both  love  truth  for  its 
own  sake  ;  and,  therefore,  no  conceivcd)le  motive  can  exist 
either  for  teaching  or  heating  any  other  than  Hie  truth  ;  or,  for 
exercising  or  submitting  to  any  other  dominion  than  that 


D.  Art.  3.]       Clerical  Sechidion  Illustrated. 


227 


whicli  is  groiincled  in  love.^  Here  we  slop  to  observe,  that,  as 
'  t/tey  arc  not  all  hrael  ivho  arc  of  hrael,'  so  ihey  may  not 
ALL  be  gctvtine  jS'eic  Church  men  who  claim  to  be  men  of  the 
?\'ew  Church.  Not  only  so,  but  the  clergy  here  seem  to  have 
forgotten,  tliat,  in  (he  hearts  of  Aew  Church  men,  as  well  as  in 
those  of  all  others,  previous  to  regeneration,  (and  which  may 
not  be  perfectly  accomplished  in  this  life,)  'the  monster  self  love 
is  conlinuullii  rising  up,''  etc.    (See  Precursor,  vol.  3,  p.  165.) 

But,  the  clergy  proceed,  finally,  to  tchisper,  that  it  is  impos- 
sible, that  filse  doctrines  or  arbitrary  rule  should  obtain  ;imong 
the  members  of  the  Church;  and,  iliat  tlie  idea  of  tiie  possibility 
of  such  things  existing  in  the  New  Church  is  so  entirely  in- 
consistent with  the  spirit  of  our  doctrines,  that  he  who  deliber- 
ately cherishes  it,  can  iiave  no  pretensions  to  the  character  of  a 
New  Church  man.'  These  mussitatioiis,  in  our  humble  con- 
ception, make  one  witli  the  prophecies  of  Jezebel,  the  sorceress, 
who  calif  d  herself  a  prophetess,  and  thence  seduced  the  servants 
of  the  living  God.'  (Rev.,  ii.)  For,  what  is  more  calculuted 
to  seduce  men  to  embrace  false  doctrines,  than  to  teach  them 
that  it  were  impossible  they  should^  What  is  7nore  calculated 
to  seduce  men  so  as  to  tamely  put  their  necks  under  the  clerical 
yoke  of  subordination — which  neither  we  nor  our  fathers  were- 
able  to  bear — than  to  teach  and  persuade  them,  that  it  were 
impossible  for  the  clergy  to  exercise  arbitrary  rule  over  them  ? 
Finally,  what  is  more  calculated  to  seduce  men — to  vp-trip  them 
and  cause  them  to  fall — than  their  taking  up  tbe  vain  conceit 
from  their  clerical  teachings  that  they  are  infallible  ? 

'  O  Lord  !  the  inhabitants  of  the  world  would  not  have  be- 
lieved that  the  adversary  should  so  soon  have  entered  into  the 
gates  of  I  the  New]  Jerusalem.'    (Lam.,  vi.) 

For  answers  to  other  clerical  ichisperings.  whispered  in  this 
year,  [1841,]  see  Stromata,  Nos.  L,  IL,  IlL,  at  the  end  of 
the  volume. 

So  much,  then,  for  clerical  measures  and  proceedings  in  the 
West,  in  the  year  1841,  tending  to  establish  an  old  church 
priesthood  in  the  Netv  Church; — so  much  for  their  reports  or 
roarings  in  the  convention  ;  and  so  much  for  their  chirpings 
or  whisperings  in  the  Precursor,  vol.  3,  pp.  22  to  27. 

183.  But,  once  more,  in  relation  to  clerical  measures  tending 
to  their  own  advancement,  let  it  first  be  noticed,  that,  in  the 
following  year,  [1842,]  the  men  of  the  New  Church,  in  coming 
forth  of  their  chambers,  whether  unobtrusively,  like  '  a  hand- 
writing upon  the  walW  or  otherwise,  did,  nevertheless,  inscribe 
the  truth  in  such  characters  and  terms,  as  to  make  the  ears  of 


228 


Powers  and  Prerogatives.        [Chap.  VIL 


the  clergy  to  tingle;  and  their  knees,  Belshazzar-like,  smite 
together.  But.  that  such  is  the  case,  may  be  seen  from  the 
following  things  : 

First,  from  our  venerable  brother  Sharp's  hand-writing,  in 
relation  to  the  unholy  claims  of  the  clergy,  and  specially,  in 
relation  to  their  proud  and  arrogant  pretensions  in  regard  to 
worldly  degrees  of  dignity,  and  invidious  titles  of  distinction 
thence  resulting.  (See  Precursor,  vol.  3,  pp.  70,  71.)  This 
hnnd-writiiig,  it  is  true,  the  clergy  attempted  to  decipher  so  as 
to  obviate  its  force;  but  in  this,  as  is  manifest,  they  utterly 
failed.    (See  Precursor,  vol.  3,  pp.  71  to  75.) 

Secondly,  fiom  the  hand-writiug  of  a  New  Church  man, 
signed  '  E.'  (Precursor,  vol.  3,  p.  89,)  in  defence  of  the  senti- 
ments contained  in  a  pamphlet  entitled  '  The  Derivation  of  the 
Powers  and  Prerogatives  of  the  Ministry  of  the  New  Church.' 
(See  Note  vv.)  But,  whether  thio  caused  the  knees  of  the  clergy 
to  smile  togettier,  or  otherwise,  need  not  concern  us,  seeing 
they  acknowledge  that  it  is  neither  calm,  courteous,  nor  re- 
spectful. (See  Precursor,  vol.  3,  p.  96,)  The  hand-ivriling 
that  caused  the  knees  of  Belshazzar  to  smite  together,  was, 
doubtless,  f-AT  from  being  calm,  courteous  or  respectful  in  tlie 
estimation  of  that  idolater.* 

Thirdly,  from  the  hand-writing^  of  a  New  Church  man, 
signed  '  Layman,''  wherein,  instead  of  the  arrogant  claims  of 
the  clergy,  namely,  that  '  the  power  of  determining  fit  subjects 
foi  ordination,  as  well  as  that  of  conferring  it,  belongs  prima- 
rily to  the  clergy,  (see  Journals  of  the  17th  General  Convention,) 
it  is  |)roposed  to  place  the  clergy  wheie  they  were  in  1816; 
and  thence,  that  application  for  ordination  shall  be  made  directly 
to  Convention,  and  if  approved  by  a  vote  of  two-thirds,  the 
Convention  shall  appoint  one  of  tlie  ministers  to  perform  the 
ceremony.  How  much  this  hand-ivrUing  affects  the  clergy, 
has,  perhaps,  not  yet  come  into  the  light.  But,  because  what 
thev  consider  to  be  a  greater  evil  is  now  pending,  nay,  threat- 
ening to  fall  upon  them,  therefore  it  is,  that,  in  all  probability, 
they  are  not  much  affected  with  the  hand-writing  in  question. 
(Precursor,  vol.  3,  p.  139.) 

Fourthly,  from  the  hand-writng  of  H.  N.  Strong,  wherein 
various  assertions  of  the  clergy,  tending  to  show  the  necessity 
of  a  general  Synod  or  Council,  (see  Precursor,  vol.  3,  p.  23, 
first  column,)  are  declared  to  be  unfair  and  unjust  ;  and  whence 
also  it  is  declared,  that  the  most  prevalent  views  of  New  Church 


•  For  farther  comments  on  the  terms  calm,  courteotu  and  reipect/til, 
«ee  Stromata,  No.  IV. 


D.  Art.  3,]     Hand-Writing  upon  the  fVaU—1642.  229 


men  in  his  region  were,  that  Mr.  J.  S.  TVilUams  was  not  dealt 
by  in  a  fair  or  even  in  a  just  manner,  (alhiding  to  the  clerical 
persecution  thai  that  brother  underwent.)  See  Precursor,  vol. 
3,  p.  182. 

Fifthly,  from  the  hand-ivriting  of  Oshorn  Case,  wherein 
it  is  declared,  however  calmly  and  affectionately,  yet  decidedly, 
that,  making  ihe  clergy  ex-officio  members  of  the  ecclesiastical 
commiltee,  (to  whom  all  applications  for  ordination  shall  be  re- 
ferred,) and  declaring  the  right  of  licensing  and  ordaining  to 
belong  exclusively  to  the  clergy,  is  contrary  to  true  order  ;  and 
that,  unless  the  right  of  licensing  and  ordaining  be  acknoivledged 
as  belonging  to  the  society  of  the  church,  the  ordaining  minis- 
ter mail  VETO  ihe  unanimous  decision  of  a  society,  and  pievent 
the  ministry  of  the  Word,  and  the  benefits  of  the  ordinances  to 
such  society.'  (See  n.  25,  26,  27.)  Also,  '  that,  as  the  or- 
dination ol  the  /Z/sf  New  Church  minister  in  England,  and  the 
first  in  the  United  Stales  was  performed  by  laymen,  so,  if 
there  should  be  a  necessity,  laymen  may  still  perform  that  cer- 
emony. And,  '  that  such  a  necessity  does  exist,  whenever 
Convention,  or  the  ministers  who  are  expected  to  perform  the 
ceremony,  refuse  to  comply  with  the  wishes  of  a  society.  Nay, 
also,  wherein  it  is  declared,  that  it  is  believed  that  '■Br.  Williams 
was  dealt  by  in  an  unfair,  unjust  and  unchristianlike  manner, 
causing  pain  to  many  members  of  the  New  Church,  and  lovers 
of  truth  and  justice.'  Nay,  farther,  that  they  '  believe  that  some 
persons,  not  excepting  those  of  the  highest  standing  in  the 
church,  have  reported  of  him  what  is  not  true.'  (Precursor, 
vol.  3,  p.  186.) 

Sixthly,  from  a  hand-writing  of  '  The  First  Convention  of 
the  New  Church  in  Union  County,  IndiaJia,'  containing  'The 
Declaration  of  Divine  Order,  and  Resolutions  Subservient,'  (see 
the  beginning  ot  this  work,)  and  certain  other  things,  in  relation 
to  freedom  in  spiritual  things,  affording  but  little  nurture  and 
indulgence  to  the  besetting  sin  of  the  clergy.'  (See  Stromata, 
No.  V.)  And, 

Seventhly,  from  divers  other  hand-writings,  which,  along 
with  the  last  named,  were  not  permitted  to  see  the  light  through 
the  columns  of  the  Precursor .' 

These  hand-writings — these  withering  rebukes,  taken  in 
the  complex,  were  doubtless  sufficient  of  themselves  to  cause 
that  the  knees  of  the  clergy  sliould  smite  against  each  other  ; 
nay,  to  throw  them  into  fea-  and  consternation  in  regard  to  the 
great  object,  end  and  aim  of  ali  their  ambitious  toils  !  But,  add 
to  this,  that  their  river,  (concerning  which  see  n.  181,)  smitten 
in  the  seven  streams  thereof,  had  become  dried  up !  That 

20 


230 


Powers  and  Prerogatives.        [Chap.  VII, 


river,  upon  the  tide  of  which,  the  clergy  had  hoped  lo  have 
sailed  as  on  an  orthodox  sea  of  glory,  was  now  uirned  into  a 
stagnant  pool !  the  fowls  of  heaven  had  fled  away  from  it ! 
The  hierarchal  ship — the  ship  of  oar — although  some  of  the 
most  precious  hierarchal  or  clerical  wares  had  been  cast  over- 
board, if  possible  to  keep  her  afloat — had  nevertheless  become 
stranded  ! — earih-fired  and  immoveable  ! — and  will  it  be  con- 
tended, that  the  clergy  are,  nevertheless  undismayed?  or,  that 
their  knees  are  firm  and  unwavering,  although  tiieir  feet  are 
sliding  backwards  and  downwards  from  the  apex  of  earthly 
glory,  dignity,  and  dominion  ! 

Peihaps  it  were  scarcely  necessary  to  tell,  that  by  the  river 
here  spoken  of,  nothing  more  is  meant  than  The  Precursor, 
which,  in  consequence  of  the  exclusion  of  things  unorthodox, 
in  clerical  estimation,  from  its  columns,  had  become,  as  it  were, 
a  stagnant  pool — a  dead  sea,  in  tlie  estimation  of  the  men  of  the 
church,  and  therefore  unworthy  of  their  farther  support;  and 
that,  by  the  hierarchal  or  clerical  wares  thrown  overboard  to 
lighten  the  ship,  nothing  more  is  meant  than  that  in  the  clerical 
cargo  presented  or  reported  to  this  convention  [1S42]  by  the 
clergy,  their  degrees  of  earthly  dignity  (and  which  had  hereto- 
fore constituted  one-half  oi  that  cargo)  were  found  to  be  utterly 
wanting!  On  opening  the  clerical  cargo  or  budget,  in  the 
convention  of  1841,  degrees  were  in  the  first  articles,  and  in 
the  last!  Nay,  it  would  seem  as  if  degrees  of  clerical  glory 
were  all  and  in  all.  The  first  article  commences  thus:  'It  is 
regarded  as  essential,  that  a  candidate  for  any  degree  of  the 
ministry,'  etc.  But,  now,  in  1842,  the  clerical  cargo  is  present- 
ed in  a  quite  different  tone — the  first  article  commencing  thus: 
*  It  is  regarded  as  essential  that  a  candida  e  for  the  ministry,' 
etc.  Here  it  is  seen,  that  degrees  are  utterly  uwnling  !  Not 
only  so,  but,  instead  of  the  last  articles  be\ng  purely  degrees,  as 
was  the  case  in  the  preceding  year,  they  now  come  out  nothing' 
more  than  this,  that  '  the  subject  of  degrees  in  the  ministry  is 
not  clearly  comprehended.^  (Precursor,  vol.  3,  p.  176.)  From 
this  it  appears,  that  clerical  degrees  are  comprehended  or  under- 
stood, that  is,  taken  on  board  the  hierarchal  ship,  just  in  pro- 
portion as  they  become  popular  ;  but  that  they  become  obscure 
and  unknown,  that  is,  cast  overboard,  when  tlic  sun  of  their 
popularity  sets  in  the  minds  of  the  people.  The  clergy  arc  to 
their  degrees  of  dignity,  comparatively,  what  a  selfinh  man  is 
to  his  friends;  for  when  these  become  unpopular,  he  can 
scarcely  recognize  them  in  the  street ;  but,  the  same  friends, 
again  grown  popular,  he  then  scarcely  knows  any  body  else  ! 
Eight  or  ten  years  after  the  clergy  had  pretended  to  recognize 


D.  Art.  3.] 


Laws  which  alter  not. 


231 


degrees  of  dignity  in  their  supposed  sacred  order,  they  reported, 
(in  1830,)  that  they  did  not  feel  adequate  to  define  the  nature 
and  extent  of  the  duties  of  the  different  degrees  of  the  ministry. 
But,  in  1841,  the  clergy,  it  wouhl  appear,  again  became  fully 
enlightened  in  relation  to  the  subject  of  degrees  ;  for,  they  re- 
ported many  things  in  relation  thereto — nay,  the  application  of 
them  apparently  to  an  iota.  Nevertheless,  (strange  to  tell !) 
the  clergy,  in  1842,  again  relapsed  into  obscurity  in  relation 
to  this  most  strange  subject;  for,  they  declare,  that  the  subject 
of  degrees  in  (he  ministry  is  not  clearly  comprehended!  !  Who 
then  may  not  now  see  how  it  is,  that  the  knees  of  the  clergy 
smite  one  against  the  other  ;  nay,  also,  and  why  it  is  ?  Does 
it  not  arise  from  tiieir  drinking  ivine  [Divine  truths  of  the 
Word3  from  the  vessels  of  the  sanctuary,  [the  heavenly  doc- 
trines of  the  New  Jerusalem,]  while,  at  the  same  time,  they 
PRAISE — that  is,  go  about  to  set  up  and  establish  'statutes,' 
'standing  rules,'  'laws  of  cliurch  order,'  or  '  commanilments  of 
iiien,'  in  the  New  Church  of  the  Lord? — thus  while  they 
praise,  that  is,  set  np  tiie  tilings  represented  and  signified 
by  those  '  gods  of  gold,  of  silver,  of  brass,  of  iron,  of  wood., 
and  of  stone,''  pr.iiaed  or  set  up  by  Belshazzar  !  (See  Dan.,  v.) 
Not  only  so,  but  the  interpretatlo)i  of  the  hand-writing  on  the 
wall  over  against  them  [the  letter  of  the  Word  in  its  potency 
and  power]  is  declared,  by  the  Michaels  of  ihe  New  Church, 
[who  sttengthen  themselves  in  the  strength  of  the  Word — those 
who  constitute  tlie  prince  of  Daniel — see  Dan.,  x.  21,]  to  be, 
that  they  [the  clergy]  are  weighed  in  the  balance  and  found 
WANTING ;  and  that,  because  the  different  sections  of  their 
kingdom  and  dominion  are,  and  ever  have  been  antagonistic, 
and  in  a  state  of  rivalry,  (n.  182, j  in  which  the  strife  ever  has 
been,  who  shall  be  the  greatest,  therefore,  Hhe  kingdom  and 
dominion  shall  be  forever  taken  from  them  and  given  to  an- 
other,'' even  to  the  Lord  himself,  whose  cdone  right  it  is  to  reign 
over  all  in  His  kingdom  on  earth  even  as  it  is  in  heaven! 
(Dan.,  V.  25  to  28.)  To  which  let  it  be  added,  that  the  doe- 
trine  here  adduced  from  the  Word,  namely  :  that  ihe  dominion 
of  the  clergy,  founded  upon  conventional  laws — which  may  be 
changed  at  pleasure — is  to  he  taken  from  them  and  given  to 
the  Lord  alone,  whose  dominion  is  established  upon  the  laws 
of  order  laid  in  His  Word,  which  never  alter  nor  change, 
but  are  as  eternal  as  Himself, — is  farther  taught,  nay,  confirmed 
and  corroborated  by  the  same  prophet,  in  the  same  place,  from 
this  :  that  the  kingdom  and  dominion  of  Belshazzar,  founded  on 
the  changeable  laws  of  worship,  necessarily  flowing  from  the 
priests  of  various  gods,  was  taken  from  him  and  given  to  the 
Medes  and  Persians,  whose  laws  altered  not  !  (Dan.  vi.  8, 12.) 


232 


Powers  and  Prerogatives.       [Chap.  VII. 


But,  what  shall  we  say  then  ?  That  the  men  of  the  New 
Church  perceiveJ  and  knew  these  things  ?  Verily,  they  did— 
at  least,  in  the  general ;  and,  to  which  let  it  be  added,  tliat  be- 
cause they  knew,  that  the  Lord  was  the  true  head  and  king 
over  His  church  and  kingdom  on  the  earth,  as  well  as  in  the 
heavens,  therefore  it  resulted,  that,  in  the  convention  of  this 
year,  [1842,]  they  issued  forth  out  of  their  chambers,  as  a 
strong  man  to  run  a  race,  and,  in  tones  of  thunder,  (at  least  to 
the  clergy,)  reported,  that,  in  the  first  article  of  the  Constitution, 
(that  is,  of  the  clerical  ensign  set  up  in  the  Western  Convention,) 
the  proviso,  which  stands  thus,  'Provided,  that  this  Conven- 
tion is  not  to  be  considered  as  possessing  in  itself  the  power  of 
ordination  and  licensing :  that  this  function  in  its  view  belongs 
exclusively  to  the  clergy,^  (see  Precursor,  vol.  3,  p.  172,) 
should  lie  thrown  down,  stricken  out  of  existence,  cast  over- 
board as  false  wares,  and  buried  in  the  depths  of  the  sea. 

The  clergy  had  already  denied  and  disowned  clerical  degrees 
of  dignity,  which  yet  their  souls  loved  !  Nay,  to  save  the  rest 
of  their  cargo  entire,  they  liad,  with  a  heroism  worthy  even  of 
a  noble  end,  cast  their  degrees  overboard,  as  things  not  com- 
prehended! But,  all  this  were  only  the  beginning  of  clerical 
sorrows ;  for,  agreeably  to  the  report  in  question,  they  are  re- 
quired 10  lay  down  even  their  crown — their  usurped  crown  of 
ordination  itself,  so  as  ihence  io  become  of  one  accord  [co- 
ordinaie]  and  in  the  same  place  [plane]  with  all  the  rest  of  the 
breUiren — to  the  end,  that  the  Lord  alone  might  be  exalted,  and 
have  all  the  honor,  glory,  and  dominion,  in  this  His  latter  day 
glory. 

By  this  report,  the  clergy  discovered,  at  once,  that  the  men 
of  the  church  really  intended  to  reassert  their  former  rights, 
which  rights  they  [the  clergy]  had  boasted  had  been  relinquish- 
ed to  them  by  a  formal  act  ;  thus  also,  that  ihey  inteiideii  to  - 
hurl  them  down  from  the  high  places  of  spiritual  wickedness  ; 
and,  thence  also,  from  all  their  blissful  visions  of  power,  au- 
thority, influx,  predestination,  [adaptation,]  immediately  from 
on  high,  independently  of  the  laiiy.  Nay,  and  whnt  wa.^  infi- 
nitely more  grievous,  that  they  intended  to  take  ordination  co- 
ordinately  into  their  own  hands  again,  as  it  at  first  was;  and, 
at  the  same  time,  to  place  them  away  back  in  their  original 
position,  (see  Precursor,  vol.  2,  p.  308,  second  column,)  as  in 
the  humble  and  unassuming  days  of  Hitidmarsh,  JVilmer,  and 
Hargrove ! 

Nevertheless,  we  find,  that  the  clergy  were  not  to  be  thus 
thwarted  in  their  aspirations  after  power  with  impunity  ;  for, 
they  declared  it  to  be  their  belief,  that  '  the  radicals  really  in- 


D.  Art.  3.]     Clerical  Omens — Hobgoblin  Pictures.  23S 


tended  to  put  down  the  priesthood .' — that  the  spirit  of  disor- 
ganization was  marching  with  rapid  strides  througli  the  land! 
— lliut  tirey  liad  heard  of  a  disorderly  and  disorganizing  bap- 
lisin  iliat  look  place  in  the  Ohio  river! — that,  should  the  pro- 
viso in  question  be  stricken  out,  they  realty  would  leave  the 
convention  !  And,  that,  from  the  time  it  loas  stricken  out,  the 
sun  of  the  New  Ch.urch  it)  the  H'est,  would  become  '  set  to 
rise  no  more!'  And  many  oilier  «uch  like  appalling  and  ter- 
rible things  !  But,  noiwiihslanding  all  the  clerical  omens  and 
forebodings,  alon2  with  all  the  hobgoblin  pictures  of  anarchy, 
ullruimi,  radicalism  and  levellingism  exhibited  on  that  occa- 
sion, tlie  voice  of  the  men  nf  the  New  Church  prevailed  over 
■that  of  the  clergy,  in  the  ratio  of  35  to  21  !  !  (See  Precursor, 
vol.  3,  p.  170.)  Whence,  the  obnoxious  proviso  in  question — ■ 
from  which  the  clergy  had  become  crowned  with  the  crown  of 
■ordination,  and  on  which,  as  on  a  primary  principle,  they  had 
hoped  to  erect  and  establish  the  throne  of  their  dominion — by 
this  irnly  valiant  and  ever  memorable  act  of  the  men  of  the 
New  Church  of  the  Lord,  is  now  rendered  7iull  and  of  none 
effect  or  force  (yy)  wimtever ;  and,  wfi  trust,  will  so  remain 

(  i/y)  Its  being  clerically  decreed,  that  thiec-fuurtfis  of  all  the  members 
present  sh  il)  be  requisite  tri  disan-anl  Ihe  proviso  lu  question,  is  of  no  more 
force  than  tliree  painted  lions  guarding  llie  way  of  a  throne  upon  which 
no  muu  is  seated.  Is  it  noi  an  insanity  to  thiiilc  of  palming  a  thing  upon 
Kew  Church  men  as  true,  until  sucli  lime  as  a  majority  of  tkree-fuurtlis  of 
tiiciu  shall  unaiiiuiously  agree  to  pronounce  it  false  !  If  a  thing  be  indeed 
(rue,  One  man  may  exhibit  it  in  the  llglit  of  lieaven  to  be  so;  and  this, 
more  satisfactorily  to  rational  men,  than  were  they  only  to  witness  a 
thousand  men  subscribing  to  it,  or,  as  it  wetve, kissing  and  conjoining  tliem- 
selves  to  it,  never  again  to  te  parted  asunder :  especially  seeing,  that  thou- 
sands of  Catholics  at  this  day  kiss  the  Bible  as  the  idolairous  Israelites 
kissed  Ute  calves  of  J  erobnam — that  is,  without  even  thinking  that  it  is  their 
businesii  to  really  understand  the  nature  of  the  lhii;g  kissed!  But,  contra- 
riwise, if  a  thing  be  indeed  false,  then  may  not  one  man  exhibit  it  in  the 
light  of  heaven  to  be  so,  rather  than  the  mortal  votes  of  a  Umusand  men  to 
that  etfect;  and  which  are  not  even  designtd  to  shew  any  thing,  excepting 
that  number  constitutes  three  ff,urths  of  all  who  have  voted?  That  the 
plan  of  deciding  theological  questions  by  sut;h  majorities,  (nay,  by  any 
species  of  majority  whatever,)  is  an  invention  of  the  devil,  may  be  seen 
from  this,  that  where  his  servants  can  once  succeed  in  getting  an  infernal 
false  established,  and,  at  the  same  time,  so  guarrlcd  by  majority,  that  one 
of  their  votes  shall  be  equal  to  three  of  those  who  may  op|)ose  it  as  such, 
such  servants,  with  but  only  a  moderate  portion  of  that  cunning  and  craft 
with  which  they  are  usually  inspired,  may  easily  succeed  in  maintaining 
it  in  the  church  for  a  long  tinje,if  not  forever;  seeing,  insuch  case,  all  they 
have  to  do,  is  to  take  care  to  secure,  in  behalf  of  their  and  tlie  devil's  cause, 
x)NE-F0URTH  of  all  the  votes  given.  Whence,  it  is  justly  concluded,  that, 
wherever  we  see  doctrinal  things  guarded  and\  defended  by  majorities,  as 
Above  specified,  we  may  safely  set  them  duwn  as  false  doctrinals,  flowing 
froai  the  love  of  self  and  the  lust  of  dominion,  and  as  the  very  things  whioE 

30* 


334 


Powers  and  Prerogatives.        [Chap.  VII. 


while  time  lasts  !  '  Let  therefore  the  inhabitants  of  the  rock 
siv^,  and  let  them  shout  from  the  tops  of  the  mountains !  ^ 
The  Lord  is  doubtless  preparing  the  way,  whence  he  may  in 
deed  and  in  truth  take  to  Himself  his  great  power  and  begin 
to  reign.    (Rev.,  xi.  17.) 

184.  But,  before  closing  the  subject  of  the  Powers  and  Pre- 
rogatives of  the  Clergy,  it  remains  that  it  be  here  stated,  that, 
from  n.  164  to  the  present  number,  it  may  be  seen,  that  an 
attempt  has  been  made,  not  only  to  give  a  general  view  of 
clerical  measures  and  proceedings  tending  to  the  establishment 
of  an  old  church  priesthood  in  the  New  Church  of  the  Lord,  but 
also,  ai  the  same  time,  that  such  view  should  be  given  in  such 
a  digested  series  and  connection,  as  might  enable  the  reader  to 
take  a  comprehensive  view,  not  only  of  the  different  positions 
which  the  clergy  assumed,  whetlier  in  relation  to  the  different 
stages  by  which  they  progressed  upwards  towards  that  power 
and  dominion  after  v  hieh,  from  manifest  proceeding,  it  is  evi- 
deiil  their  souls  panted,  or  in  relation  to  their  fa/l  and  decline 
in  the  fVest, — but  also,  the  different  positions  which  the  New 
Church,  from  her  commencement  in  America  until  ihe  present 
time,  [1R44,]  assumed,  or  was  thence  under  the  necessity  of 
assuming. 

How  far  we  have  succeeded  in  accomplishing  this  great  ob- 
ject, those  who  are  the  best  acquainted  with  the  annals  of  the 
New  Church,  as  recorded  in  the  journals  of  her  Conventions, 
aic  perhaps  the  best  qualified  to  judge.    But,  because  the  object 


the  duy  of  Ihe  Lord  is  coniin:^  to  destroy  ! — concerning  which,  Isai.ili  says, 
'  The  (l;iv  oT  the  L  tiI  shall  be  upon  every  high  tower,  and  upon  every 
Jc need  wall ;  vea  ,  upon  all  pleasant  ticti  rks,  so  that  the  Itau^hliness  ot 
men  may  be  hroiii^hi  low,  and  the  Lord  almie  exalted.'  (ii  15,  16,  17.) 
'  The  For.TBESs  of  tub  high  fort  of  thy  walls  shall  he  bring  down — even 
to  the  dust.'  (xxv.  12)  'The  defenceu  citv  shall  be  desolate;  and  the 
habitation  forsaken.'  (xxvii.  10.)  Nay,  farther,  that  such  conclusion  is 
perfectly  jii.il  and  true,  may  be  seen  from  this,  that  neither  truth  nor  the 
d'iclrinals  nf  l.  ulh  ever  yet  required  the  dh  kknsive  walls  o(  mortal  majori- 
ties, however  strong  tliey  might  appear,  for  her  protection.  Tlie  walls  of 
the  city  o/tni/h  are  built  up  of  tlie  leller  «/  Ike  Word  by  Ute  Lord  liimself, 
the  gre  it  M'isler  builder;  and  thence  it  is,  that  her  walls  are  salvation  and 
her  iiales  praise.  Nay,  salvation  is  aypninled  fur  tlte  bulwarks  and  outmost 
defences  of  Uiis  city,  and  glory  for  Uie  niid.il  Uiereof !  !  (Yea,  burn  my 
heart  while  ^//,t«  ronimunm^  with  the  Lord  by  ihe  way  !)  True,  indeed, 
the  priests  and  clergy  in  all  ages,  from  their  eternal  lust  of  building,  (A. 
K.  1.53,)  have  ever  went  about  to  build  up  ot/ier  walls  thai:  these,  and  to 
protect  them  bv  the  bulw,iiks  of  mortal  majority.  But  their  walls  have 
never  proved  other  than  walls  built  up  of  untempered  mortar;  and  thence 
a  refuge  of  lies  and  infernal  falses  by  tvUich  to  darken  the  sun  and  air  of  the 
moral  world.  (See  Ezek.,  xiii.  10.)  I3ut  which,  as  said  -before,  tlie  dajf 
of  Uie  Lord  is  corning  to  destroy. 


D.  Art.  3.3  Executive  Duties.  235 


being  to  exhibit  a  digested  series,  rather  ihan  a  bare  collection 
0/  facts  in  a  confused,  conglomeraled  mass,  therefore  it  is,  tliat 
no  generous  reader  will  take  offence,  if  he  should  happen  to  find 
a  sentiment  purporting  to  be  a  quotation  not  quoted  to  the 
better.  But,  especially,  when  he  finds,  that  in  ?J0  such  case  a 
departure  is  made  from  the  sense  obviously  intended. 


CHAPTER  VIII. 

(Note  D. — Article  III.) 

Concerning  Executive  Duties,  claimed  to  belong  to  the 

clergy. 

185.  As  touching;  the  executive  duties  of  the  Lord's  ministers, 
which  duties  are  falsely  supposed  to  be  similar  with  those  ex- 
ercised by  worldly  princes  and  magistrates,  (see  Precursor,  vol. 
3,  p.  138,)  it  is  necessary  to  perfectly  know  how  the  case  is, 
lesl  from  insinuations  flowing  from  the  lust  of  domination.  New 
Church  men  might  be  led,  by  little  and  little,  to  form  and  thence 
imbibe  ideas  of  the  ministry  of  the  New  Church  precisely  simi- 
lar with  those  of  priest-ridden  Catholics  on  the  same  subject. 
And,  that  how  the  case  is,  might  be  perfectly  known  for  ever, 
we  are  taught,  in  U.  T.  661,  that  'princes  in  heaven  serve  their 
societies  by  doing  uses  ;  and  that  ministers  serve  the  church, 
that  is,  their  brethren  whom  they  call  companions,  by  dispens- 
ing or  ministering  holy  things,  for  the  uses  of  their  souls  ;  also, 
that  their  companions,  who  are  of  the  common  people,  hardly 
know,  but  that  the  honor  of  the  dignity  or  station  of  a  priest 
is  in  himself,  and  that  the  uses  he  does  are  from  himself  also; 
but  that  priests  in  heaven  feel  far  otherwise,  namely,  that  the 
honors  of  their  dignity  are  out  of  them,  and,  that  all  the  uses 
they  perform  are  from  the  love  of  lliem /rom  the  Lord.'  From 
all  which,  it  becomes  manifest,  in  what  sense  the  word  '^execu- 
tive' is  to  be  understood,  when  referred  to  princes  or  priests  in 
the  kingdom  of  heaven,  which  includes  the  church,  and  special- 
ly the  Lord's  New  Church  upon  the  earth.  Here,  it  implies 
serving  others  by  doing  uses  ;  and  serving  others  by  dispensing 
the  holy  things  of  use  for  the  soul.  Bui,  with  the  lords  of  the 
Gentiles,  and  the  princes  of  this  world,  it  implies  the  exercise 
of  that  authority  and  domination  which  the  Lord  expressly- 
taught  His  followers  to  avoid,  saying,  *Jt  shall  not  be  so 
among  you.' 


^36        The  Priesthood  Honored,  as  it  Serves.     [Ch.  VIII. 


186.  But  again,  in  U.  T.  415,  we  are  taught,  that  '  ihe  church 
is  to  be  loved  in  a  higher  degree  ihnn  the  country,  fur  the  rea- 
son, thai  slie  teaches  the  means  whir  ii  lead  to  elernal  life  and 
iniroduces  into  it ;  that  she  leads  to  ii  by  ilie  truths  of  dot  irine, 
and  iniroduces  into  it  by  the  goods  of  life;  but,  that  by  this  it 
is  not  to  be  understood,  that  tlie  priesthood  should  be  loved  in 
a  HIGHER  DEGREE,  and  froiD  or  through  it  ihe  church  ;  but  only, 
that  the  church,  ihus  the  good  and  truth  of  the  church,  should 
be  loved,  and  for  the  sake  of  these  the  priesthood  ;  and  linally, 
— mark  this,  O  ye  clergy,  who  go  wliispering  about,  that  the 
duties  of  the  Lord's  ministers  are  c.retiitive  equally  with  those 
of  earthly  magistrates,  —  that  'The  priesthood  O.NLY 
SERVES,  and  as  it  serves  it  is  honored.^  Presumptuous 
ofBcers  or  ministers  are  they  who  go  about  to  rule  and  to  exe- 
cute the  church  according  to  the  council  of  their  own  will,  as 
laid  in  their  eceUsiaslical  laws,  instead  of  being  the  servants 
thereof!  Whence  it  is  justly  concluded,  that  the  doctrine 
which  teaches,  that  the  priesthood  receives  power,  ability  and 
peculiar  adaptation  [predestination]  immediately  from  the 
Lord  to  perform  executive  duties  in  the  church,  similar  (if  they 
choose  it)  to  the  way  that  despotic  princes  perform  executive 
duties  in  the  Stale,  and  that  they  may  use  such  power  af  if  it 
was  their  otvn,  (seeing,  that  '  experience  proves  that  they  do 
use  it  as  their  own,)  is  manifestly  in  opposition  to  the  heavenly 
doctrines  of  the  New  Jerusalem  ;  and  in  unison  with  despotic 
seniiments  of  the  darkest  character.  Where  shall  we  go  to 
find  that  grim  tyrant,  whether  prince  or  pope,  that  ever  asked 
for  more,  than  to  have  it  acknowledged,  that  heaven  had  pecu- 
liarlv  moulded  and  adapted  the  power  and  ability  wherewith  he 
was  endowed,  into  the  shape  of  authority  to  perform  executive 
duties;  and,  that  he  might  use  such  authority  or  power  as  if 
it  was  his  own,  seeing  his  predecessors  had  done  so  before 
him  ? 

What  more  did  any  pope  ever  claim,  than  to  be  possessed  of 
power,  ability  and  adaptation  [predestination]  to  perform  the 
executive  duties  of  the  vicarship,  immediately  from  on  high; 
and,  that  thence  he  had  his  authority,  which  it  was  lawful  for 
him  to  use  as  if  it  was  his  own  ;  nay,  that  he  would  use  it  as 
his  own,  accordins  to  the  cojinsel  of  his  otvn  will,  the  prayers 
and  groans  of  a  suffering  world  to  the  contrary  notwithstanding  J 
(See  Precursor,  vol.  3,  p.  138,  second  column.) 


D.  Art.  3. J      Repositories  of  Things  Formal. 


237 


CHAPTER  IX. 

(Note  D. — Article  III.) 

Concerning  the  supposed  right  of  the  Clergy  to  be  the  Repos- 
itorits  of  every  thing  Formal  and  Ceremonious  pertaining 
to  the  Church. 

187.  As  touching  tliis  right,  it  is  to  be  observed  in  the  first 
place,  lhat  in  The  Precursor,  at  pa^es  322,  323,  we  are  taught 
in  what  things  essential  and  things  formal  consist — in  clerical 
estimation.  And,  from  but  a  slight  examination  of  the  things 
there  spoken  of,  it  becomes  manifest,  that,  in  the  estimation  of 
the  clergy,  things  essential  (in  relation  to  themselves)  consist 
of  none  other  than  their  own  prescriptions,  as  reported  in  con- 
vention, to  the  end  that  they  might  all  be  written — set  up  and 
established — made  constitutional ;  (concerning  which,  see  the 
clerical  reports  adduced  in  n.  180,  181,  182  ;  as  also  Tlie  Pre- 
cursor, in  tlie  first  of  tlie  pages  just  mentioned ;)  and  tlius 
also,  that,  in  </iejr  estimation,  things  essential  and  things  consti- 
tutional [that  is,  their  decrees,  prescriptions,  or  grievousness, 
when  written  or  set  up — Isa.,  x.  1 ,3  are  one  and  the  same  thmg ! 
(Ibid.,  first  column,  at  the  bottom.)  But,  such  being  the  es- 
sentials, what  then  ate  the  formals,  in  clerical  estimation, 
which  ^  may  be  safely  entrusted  to  the  ordaining  clergy?^ 
(Ibid.)  JvCt  the  clergy  themselves  answer  this  important  ques- 
tion. And,  to  which  they  say,  1.  '  The  /br?n  and  mode  of 
instituting  and  organizing  societies  ;'  2.  '  The  mode  of  induc- 
tion into  the  office  of  a  leader,  and  the  prescribing  of  his 
particular  duties  ;'  3.  '  The  time,  the  place  and  mode  of  or- 
dination ;'  and  4.  '  Granting  licenses  for  specific  purposes, 
and  directing  the  operation  of  missionaries  so  far  as  recom- 
mending the  societies  and  neighborhoods  to  be  visited  are  con- 
cerned.' (See  note  m.)  All  these,  they  say, '  are  things  formal, 
and  may  be  safely  entrusted  to  the  ordaining  clergy,  provided 
always,  that  the  essentials  be  strictly  adhered  to!  T  (lb.  323.) 
But,  who  is  he,  calling  himself  a  New  Church  man,  that  is  not 
annoyed,  yea,  deeply  shocked,  when  he  attentively  looks  at 
the  clerical  arrogance  manifested  in  the  things  just  adduced? 

First.  The  clergy  must  be  made  the  repositories  in  which 
to  entrust  the  mode  of  instituting  and  organizing  societies  ! 

IJul,  the  organization  of  societies  belongs  to  the  class  of 
fortnal  things,  which,  like  the  dress,  may  be  changed  at  the 
good  pleasure  of  the  counsel  of  the  cleiical  will ! 


238 


Repositories  of  TTiings  Formal.      [Chap.  IX, 


Therefore,  it  must  needs  follow,  that  with  the  clergy  must 
be  entrusted  the  power  to  organize  societies,  to  be  called  New 
Church  societies,  into  a  genuine  Catholic  or  Methodistic  form, 
so  soon  as  they  may  discover  that  such  foim  were  bes'  adapted 
to  the  nurture  and  indulgence  of  their  besetting  sin  !  [the  lust 
of  domination!]    See  n.  176. 

Secondly.  With  the  clergy  must  be  entrusted  the  mode  of 
induction  into  ihe  office  of  a  leader,  and  the  prescribing  of  his 
2)artindar  duties  ! 

But,  these  things  belong  to  the  class  of  formal  things,  which, 
like  the  dress,  m:iv  be  changed  at  the  good  pleasure  of  the 
counsel  of  the  will  of  the  clergy  with  whom  they  are  entrusted! 

Ergo,  [llierel'ore,]  it  follows  of  necessity,  that  with  the  clergy 
must  be  deposited  the  power,  not  only  to  induct  leaders  into 
their  office,  after  some  heathenish.  Catholic,  Calvinislic,  or 
Methodistic  mode,  hut  also  to  prescribe  it  to  be  tlieir  particu- 
lar duly  to  draw  tlieir  task  from  the  clerical  stock,  foun- 
lain,  or  head,  rather  than  from  the  common  stock — fountain 
of  the  Word — ihe  Lord  himself  the  head  over  all — so  soon  as 
they  may  discover  that  sucii  mode  of  induction  and  such  pre- 
scription  of  duty  were  the  best  calculated  to  supply  nurture 
and  indulgence  to  their  besetting  sin  ! 

Thirdly.  With  the  clergy  must  be  deposited  the  time,  place 
and  mode  of  ordination  ! 

Bui,  'these  ihiniiS  are  to  be  classed  with  things  /oj-ma/ or 
ceremonial,''  which,  like  the  dress,  may  be  changed  at  the 
pleasure  of  the  counsel  ol  the  clerical  will  ! 

Ergo,  it  follows,  that  wit!i  the  clergy  must  be  entrusted  ihe 
power  10  put  of}'  rhe  orriination  of  such  as  will  not  subserve  their 
interests,  to  the  time  of  the  day  of  Judgment,  and  not  only  to 
perfoim  the  ceremony  of  ordination  generally  at  the  place 
where  Satan's  seal  is,  or  in  the  congregation  of  the  dead,  but, 
also,  to  perform  that  ceremony  precisely  after  the  mode  used 
by  ihe  successors  of  Simon  Magus,  (see  n.  82,  83,)  so  soon  as 
they  may  discover  that  such  ttine.  place  and  mode  will  best 
contribute  to  the  nurture  and  indul<{ence  of  ilirir  besetting  sin  ! 

Fourthly.  With  the  clergy  must  be  deposiied  the  granting 
of  licenses  for  specific  purposes,  viz  :  to  missionaries,  so  that 
tiiey  may  perform  all  the  duties  of  priests  of  the  second  de- 
gree,  such  as  receiving  members  into  society,  prescribing  the 
duties  of  leaders, — also,  the  direciiou  of  the  operations  of  mis- 
sionaries ill  relation  to  the  societies  and  neighborhoods  to  be 
visited  ! 

But,  all  these  things  are  to  be  classed  with  things  f  rmal  or 
ceremonial,  which,  like  the  dress,  may  be  changed  at  clerical 
pleasure  ! 


D.  Arl.  3.]    Exposition  of  Zeccariah,  5th  chap. 


239 


Ergo,  it  foHowp,  that  with  the  clergy  must  be  deposited  the 
power,  under  the  form  of  the  tivo  horns  of  a  lamb,  to,  never- 
llieless,  spealc  as  a  dragon — the  power  to  speak  in  unison  with 
Romish  popes  and  Melhodislic  bishops — saying,  '  Jict  in  all 
things  NOT  according  to  your  own  will — employ  yx)ur  time  in 
the  manner  wiiich  ive  direct — do  that  part  of  the  work  in  the 
Lord's  vineyard  which  we  may  advise,  and  at  those  times  and 
places  whicd  we  judge  most  fur  the  glory  of  him  whose  ser- 
vants you  are' — (see  Me.lh.  Dis,,  p.  39)  — that  is,  just  so  soon 
as  they  may  liiscover,  that  such  speech  and  such  unison  (with 
the  liowlings  of  Babylon)  would  best  contribute  to  the  nurture 
and  indulgence  of  their  besetting  sin — the  lust  of  dominion 
over  the  things  of  heaven! 

But,  each  and  all  these  conclusions  justly  adduced  from  their 
clerical  premises  respectively,  must  needs  be  an  abhorrence  to 
all  New  Church  men,  if  not  to  alt Jlesh  breathing! 

Therefore,  it  follows,  that  ihe  premises  themselves  are  neither 
more  nor  less  than  wickedness  and  an  abomination  in  the  sight 
of  heaven  ;  and,  as  such,  should  be  immediately  banished  from 
within  the  borders  of  the  New  Church  of  the  Lord  ! 

188.  The  principle  from  which  the  clerical  premises  (ad- 
duced in  the  number  just  preceding)  flow,  are  spoken  of  in 
Zechariah,  as  follows:  1st.  Where  it  is  said,  'This  is  an 
EPHAH  which  goeth  forth  and  is  their  resemblance  throughout 
all  the  earth;'  (v.  6;)  this  signifying,  that  in  the  lust  of  dom- 
ination [the  pphah]  a  resemblance,  likeness,  or  representation 
is  afforded,  by  which  to  distinguish  and  know  the  Babylonian 
clergy,  throughout  all  the  states  of  the  church,  [earth:]  2d. 
Where  it  is  said,  '  There  was  lifted  up  weighty  pieces  of  lead — 
this  a  woman  sitting  in  the  midst  of  the  ephah  f  (verse  7;) 
this  signifying,  that,  from  the  lust  of  dominating  in  the  clergy 
of  Babylon,  they  proceed  to  set  up  [lift  up]  and  establish  au- 
thoritatively oppressive  laws,  [weighty  pieces  of  lead,]  by 
means  of  which  to  rule  the  church,  and  thence  to  erect  the 
hierarchal  throne  of  their  dominion  over  the  things  of  heaven  ; 
and,  that  the  church  not  only  groans  under  the  oppressive 
weight  of  the  many  evils  resulting  from  the  decrees  of  griev- 
ousness  which  the  clergy  have  not  only  prescribed,  but  also 
WRITTEN  in  the  shape  of  laws  of  church  order,  [weighty  pieces 
of  lead,]  but  also,  that,  in  process  of  time,  the  inmost  principles 
of  the  church,  thus  ruled,  oppressed  and  borne  down,  instead 
of  remaining  grounded  in  love  to  the  Lord  and  charity  towards 
the  neighbor,  become  seated  and  grounded  in  the  love  of  self 
and  the  last  of  dominion  thence  ;  [this  is  a  woman  that  sitteth 
in  the  midst  of  the  ephah :]    3d.  Where  it  is  said,  that '  This 


840  Repositories  of  Things  Formal.     [Chap.  IX. 


is  wickedness  cast  into  the  midst  of  the  Ephah  and  the  lead 
CAST  upon  the  mouth  theieof;  (verse  8;)  this  sifrnifying,  that 
all  manner  of  wickedness  is  to  be  referred  [cast]  to  the  love  of 
self  [midst  of  the  Ephah,']  and  all  manner  of  cruelly  and  op- 
pression is  to  be  referred  [cast  |  to  doctrine  thence  derived, 
[the  mouth  thereof:]  4th.  Where  it  is  said,  that  '  There  came 
out  livo  women,  and  the  wind  was  in  their  wings,  who  lifted 
up  the  Ephah  between  the  earth  and  heaven ;  (ver.  9 ;)  this 
signifying,  that  the  affections  of  the  will  and  understanding 
[Jwo  women~\  became  so  corrupt  by  means  of  ratiocinations 
[wings]  from  the  emptiness  of  doctrine  and  falses  of  efi7[wind] 
flowing  in  from  the  lust  of  domination  in  the  clergy,  that  they 
shamelessly  exhibited  their  great  object  end  and  aim,  in  the 
sight  boih  of  the  external  [earth]  and  internal  [heaven]  men  of 
the  church,  namely,  to  build  up  for  tliemsehes  a  kingdom  or 
house  in  which  to  reign  and  rule  forever:  and  5th.  Where  it  is 
said,  that  '  They  bore  the  Ephah  to  the  land  of  Shinar  to 
build  it  an  house,  which  should  be  established  upon  her  own 
base;^  (ver.  10;)  this  signifying,  that  the  lust  of  domination 
[the  Ephah]  can  have  no  foundation  or  base  whereon  to  rest, 
but  in  a  church  in  external  worship  whose  internal  is  profane, 
[land  of  Shinar,!  and,  that  such  church  [/««(/]  affords  the  only 
base  whereon  can  be  erected,  with  permanency,  the  clerical 
edifice,  hierarchy,  house,  kingdom  and  throne  of  clerical  do- 
minion and  glory  ! 

189.  This  external  church,  or  land  of  Shinar,  then,  is  the 
very  same  land  of  Shinar  spoken  of  in  Genesis,  xi.  2,  upon 
which  the  Babel-builders  at  tirst  attempted  to  erect  their  tower, 
the  tower  of  the  watchmen ;  [clergy  ;]  fiom  which  they  might 
watch,  not  only  over  the  things  of  earth,  but  also  of  heaven. 
Excited  by  the  lust  of  building,  the  builders  of  Babel  determined 
that  tlie  lop  of  their  tower  should  reach  into  the  heavens,  so 
that  after  watching  [ruling]  the  things  there,  they  might,  as  if 
they  were  gods,  come  down  in  the  likeness  of  men:  (Acts,  xiv. 
11  ;)  and,  as  if  they  really  were  watchers  and  holy  ones,  that 
they  might  come  dotvn  from  the  heavens,  to  watch  over  the 
earth  also,  (Dan.,  vi.  13,  17,  21.)  thus  also,  so  that  they  might 
make  to  themselves  a  name  whereby  to  be  distinguished  and 
worshipped  by  all  the  children  of  men.  But,  how  this  case  is, 
may  be  seen  still  plainer  from  this:  that,  when  the  clergy  turn 
their  back  upon  the  East,  [the  Word,]  they  immediately  be- 
come infected  with  a  prurient  desire  to  build ;  and,  the  end 
providing  for  itself  the  means,  they  soon  arrive  at  the  low  plain 
in  the  land  of  Shinar  ;  and,  here  finding  a  correspondent  bask 
for  the  clerical  edilice  or  tower  which  they  desire  to  build,  they 


D.  Art.  3.] 


Shinar — its  Signification. 


241 


straightway  say  one  to  another,  '  Go  to,  let  us  make  brick; 
(^hatch  out  laws  of  church  order;]  and  burn  them  ivith  a  hurri' 
ing;  [in  the  f^re  of  self-love  ;]  and,  laying  them  in  slime,  let 
tts  build  them  up  into  a  tower,  [from  ratiocination  auihorita- 
tively  establish  ihem,]  the  top  thereof  in  heaven,^  [so  that  our 
authority  may  extend  even  to  the  things  of  heaven.]  VVIience, 
ii  becomes  manifest,  that,  when  the  clergy  of  this  day  succeed 
in  finding  or  procuring  a  laity  disposed  to  yield  perfect  con- 
formity to  clerical  prescriptions,  and  to  relinquish  their  in- 
alienable riijlits  to  the  clergy  by  a  formal  act,  or,  when  they 
succeed  \\\  finding  or  procuring  a.  \a\ty  who  can  be  ravished  by 
the  flashes  of  arliitrary  power,  rather  than  by  the  steady  sun- 
light of  truth,  and  with  the  external  pomp  and  splendor  of  wor- 
ship, rather  than  with  any  thing  internal  pertaming  to  it.  then 
it  may  be  jus;ly  said,  that  they  have  succeeded  in  finding  a 
plain  in  the  land  of  Shinar,  whereon  to  erect  their  clerical 
institutions,  so  that  the  clerical  edifice,  tower,  system,  church, 
or  house  thence  resulting  may  be  said  to  be  established  on  her 
OWN  BAsr;.    (Zechariah,  v.  11.) 

190.  Siiinar  signifies  (in  its  literal  interpretation)  the  watch 
of  them  that  sleep :  thus,  spiritually,  the  watch  of  them  who 
refuse  to  awake  up  so  as  govern  themselves,  as  of  themselves, 
from  the  Lord.  But,  because  those  who  will  not  awake  from 
the  spiritual  sleep  of  death  so  as  to  watch  for  themselves,  ac- 
cording to  the  Divine  injunction,  (Mark,  xiii.  37,  36  35.  34,  33; 
Matt.,  xxiv.  42,  43;  xxv.  13;  and  Hab.,  ii.  1,)  are,  of  all  others, 
jnost  susceptible  of  being  made  a  prey,  therefore  it  is,  that  the 
tvatchmen,  in  whom  the  lust  of  dominion  prevails,  covet  this 
watch — the  tvatch  of  them  that  sleep,  [Shinar,]  infinitely  rather 
than  the  watch  of  those  ^\\o  put  away  sleep  from  their  eyelids, 
and  who  stand  ready  with  their  loins  girt  and  their  lights  burn- 
ing, as  men  on  the  look-out  '/or  the  coming  of  their  Lord.'' 
The  reason  is  manifest ;  for  these  cannot  be  taken  in  the  clerical 
toils.  But,  as  touching  those — leopards  are  permitted  to  tvatch 
over  their  cities,  because  they  will  not  watch  to  know  the  way 
of  the  Lord  and  the  judgment  of  t/icir  God.  (Isaiah,  v.  4,  6.) 
Those,  therefore,  that  love  slumber  and  the  folding  of  the  hands 
to  sleep,  so  that  their  priests  may  keep  watch  alone,  are  all  of 
the  Babylonian  race  f  and  are  all  found  to  be  inhabitants  of 
ths  cities  of  the  plain  of  Shinar — all  of  which  are  overlooked 
by  the  clerical  tower  of  Babel  reared  up  in  the  midst!  Such 
sluggards  and  slumberers,  because  they  have  committed  the 
watch  of  their  souls  to  their  priests,  can  therefore  do  nothing 
but  SLEEP  ON.  The  great  work  of  watching,  each  for  himself, 
being  taken  out  of  the  hands  of  the  laity,  the  eyes  of  their  minds 

21 


242 


Jiepositories  of  Things  Formal.     [Chap.  IX. 


immediately  become  heavy  and  'their  ears  dull  of  hearing!* 
In  this  dull  and  lifeless  stale,  like  clay  in  ihe  hand  of  the  potter, 
they  submit  to  be  organized  and  moulded  by  the  clergy  into 
such  for7n  as  may  best  conduce  to  clerical  pleasure,  honor  and 
glory.    The  clergy  having  taught,  that  every  thmg/orni«/  and 
ceremonious  may  be  safely  entrusted  with  them,  the  stultified 
laity  begin  to  iremble,  lest,  in  the  freedom  of  speech  and  action, 
they  might  encroach  on  the  rights  of  the  priests  to  whom  they 
have  committed  their  souls  for  safekeeping!    Whence,  in  such 
case,  the  clergy,  in  tender  mercy,  come  to  their  relief! — that  is, 
to  prescribe  how  far  the  laity  may  read — nay,  wliat  itiey  may 
read,  speak,  teach  or  pray  in  ihe  liearing  of  their  neighbors, 
without  encroachment  or  offence  !    As  for  example,  ttie  Cal- 
vinistic  clergy  prescribe,  that  the  Scriptures  are  to  be  read 
ordinarily  to  the  family ;  but,  that  special  care  is  to  be  had, 
that  each  family  keep  by  themselves  ;  and,  that  no  man,  how- 
ever otherwise  qualified,  should,  unless  he  be  of  the  clergy, 
take  it  upon  himself,  in  any  place,  to  interpret  the  Scriptures  !  ! 
(See  Confession  of  Faitli,  Edinburgh  edition,  pp.  596  to  600.) 
But,  who  cannoi  see,  that,  when  men,  from  clerical  constraint, 
cease  to  speak  in  relation  to  the  genuine  meaning  of  the  fJ'ord, 
they  will  by  degrees  cease  to  think  concerning  it  also  ;  or,  (if 
they  think  at  dU)  to  think  only  of  that  interpretation  of  ii  given 
by  the  clergy  ;  and  which  is  no  other  than  the  faith  of  ihe 
clergy  as  laiii  in  their  creeds  and  catechisms?    And,  who  can- 
not see,  thai,  when  the  laity,  from  clerical  constraint,  keep 
their  understanding  under  obedience  to  the  faith  of  the  clergy, 
s\}ch  faith  must  by  degrees  become  unsupported  by  both  reason 
and  understanding  ;  and  thence  a  blind,  yea,  a  dead  faith  to 
the  laity?    From  all  which,  it  becomes  evident,  that  clerical 
ojfficiousness,  whether  consisting  in  watching  alone,  while  the 
church  may  sleep  on  securely,  or  in  the  claim,  that  every  thing 
TORMAL  may  safely  be  entrusted  with  the  clergy,  is  only  calcu- 
lated to  bring  her  back  to  Sliinar — to  aid  in  Babel- building — 
to  confound  her  language — to  lay  the  cold  hand  of  death  upon 
Jier — and  to  scatier  her  to  the  four  winds. 

191.  From  Goldsmith's  '  View  of  the  World,'  p.  47,  we  may 
learn,  that  the  Calmucs  entrusted  every  thing  formal  and  cere- 
monious to  their  priests  or  clergy  for  safe-keeping  ;  and,  be- 
cause prayer  was  considered  a  formal  thing,  it  also  was  en- 
trusted to  the  safe-keeping  of  the  clergy ;  the  result  was,  that, 
when  the  ceremony  of  prayer  was  needful,  the  priest  had  always 
to  be  called  upon  to  perform  it.  But,  'as  the  people  so  the 
priest for,  (as  the  memorable  relation  runs,)  the  priests  kept 
the  prayers  safely  to  the  letter,  that  is,  on  slips  of  paper  in  a 


D,  Art  3.]         Clerical  Praying  Machines. 


243 


strong  cylinder  box;  which  clerical  prayer  box,  fastened  to  a 
slick,  the  priest,  by  means  of  a  string,  could  easily  keep  in 
motion  and  gravely  smoke  his  pipe  during  the  whole  ceremony  ; 
for  it  was  believed,  that  all  that  was  necessary  to  the  desired 
effect,  was,  that  the  prayers  in  tlie  box  should  be  kept  in  mo- 
tion by  the  priest !  Nay,  so  pious  were  these  priests,  that 
they  even  invented  an  improvement  on  the  mechanical  mode  of 
praying  just  noticed  ;  and  which  consisted  of  a  ^^>/^ee/ turned  by 
means  of  the  wind — that  is,  a  hollow  ivhecl,  filled  with  slips  of 
paper  on  which  were  written  pious  prayers  devised  by  the 
clergy.  Thus  the  happy  owner  of  such  clerical  praying  ma- 
chine might  sleep  on  soutid/y,  let  the  ivind  blow  from  which 
quarter  it  listed!  Lo  !  then,  the  result  of  entrusting  things 
formal  and  ceremonious  to  the  clergy  !  Would  one  have  be- 
lieved, that  man,  by  placing  his  trust  in  an  arm  of  flesh— his 
rights  ii)  the  hands  of  the  clergy — could  thence  have  become  so 
grossly  external,  sensual,  stupid  and  brutalized? 

192.  or  the  thing?  spoken,  in  relation  to  the  subject  under 
consideration,  the  sum  is,  that  to  entrust  the  organization  or 
moulding  of  the  church  into  form — involving  in  it  the  mode  of 
induction  of  her  members  to  their  respective  offices  or  (rusts, 
and  thence  the  prescription  of  their  particular  duties,  whether 
it  be  reading,  preaching,  praying,  or  the  lime  and  place  when, 
(see  Meth.  Dis.,  p.  39,) — into  the  han<Is  of  the  clergy,  as  things 
formal  and  cpremnnious  which,  like  the  dress,  they  may  change 
at  their  pleasure,  is  only  to  give  to  tlie  clergv  power  to  check 
the  free  operation  of  lije  from  the  spirit  of  God  ivithiii;  and 
thus  to  mar  the  beauty  of  the  form  which  the  church,  as  an 
honorable  vessel  in  the  hands  of  the  Lord  alone,  would  other- 
wise have  assumed.  Or,  what  is  the  same  thing,  that  the 
tendency  of  life  from  the  Lord  is  to  push  out  the  corrugate 
agreeably  to  iis  own  divine  form  operating  within,  and  thence  to 
give  to  the  church  the  appearance  of  a  youthful  and  blooming 
virgin  ;  whilst  the  tendency  of  the  laying  on  of  the  cold  hands 
of  clerical  potters,  moulders,  or  organizers,  under  pretext  of 
giving  in-r  still  better  form,  is,  that  both  life  and  heat  should 
retreat  backwards,  and  thence,  that  the  church  should  become 
deeply  indented  wiih  all  the  abhorrent  wrinkles  of  old  age. 
Such  being  the  case,  it  yet  remains  that  it  be  stated  in  what 
the  ceremfmies  of  the  church  consist,  which,  like  the  dress, 
may  be  cJianged  and  moulded  as  to  fashion  and  form,  not  by 
the  clerical  potters  of  this  age,  at  their  pleasure,  but  by  the  men 
of  the  church — thus  by  the  church  herself  at  her  pleasure,  (zz) 


(as)  The  despotic  power  of  the  clergy,  in  claiming  the  power  to  change 
the  ceremonies  or  dress  of  the  church  at  their  pleasure,  is  represented  to 


244 


Repositories  of  Things  Formal.      [Chap.  IX. 


But,  in  order  more  perfec'Iy  to  kn^w  Yow  tli3  case  is,  it  must 
in  the  first  place  be  known,  that  with  the  IVew  Church  oi  Ihe 
Lord  all  the  representatives  or  ceremonies  of  ihe  old  church  are 
abolished,  excepting  those  which  represent  regeneration,  and 
conjunction  thence  with  the  Lord.  The  former  of  which  is 
represented  by  Baptism,  and  the  latter  by  the  Holy  Supper 
involving  marriage.  a)  For,  when  it  is  seen  that  these  re- 
presentative ceremonies,  rituals,  etc.,  represent  all  that  is  con- 
tained in  the  true  temple  of  the  Lord,  it  must  needs  become 
manifest,  that  they  and  they  alone  constitute  the  true  walls  of 
that  temple;  and  therefore,  also,  that  the  ceremonial  walls 
given  for  the  protection  of  the  holy  thiiigs  contained  within, 
are  of  the  best  form  and  texture  when  their  divine  simplicity 
is  such,  that  they  direct  the  attention  to  the  things  within, 
rather  than  to  themselves  which  are  only  the  covering.  ("3  6^ 
Nay,  farther,  thut,  although  these  walls  of  ceremony  may  be- 
come changed,  like  the  dress,  yet  they  are  never  to  be  taken 
away  altogether;  for.  baptism,  taken  away  so  as  to  exist  in  no 
form  in  the  church,  would  result  in  men's  losing  sight  of  re- 
generation  altogether  ;  nay,  in  such  case,  the  bed  [doctrine  of 
the  clmrch^  would  become  defiled;  marriage  dishonorable; 
[faith  separated  from  charity  ;]  and  thence  conjunction  with 
the  Lord  impossible.  (See  Heb.,  xiii.  4.)  Let  it  then  be  re- 
inen)bered,  that  it  is  the  ceremonies  themselves,  which  corres- 
pond to  the  walls  of  the  temple,  and  not  the  mere  mode  of  per- 
forming or  exhibiting  them,  by  any  means^  Suf-h  trilles,  it  is 
conceived,  are  beneath  the  notice  and  dignity  of  heaven  ;  and 
thence  also  of  him  in  whom  the  kingdom  of  heaven  is  opened. 
That  attraction  wl'ich  consists  in  mere  tnodes  of  perfcrn  ng  the 

the  life  in  the  emperor  of  China,  with  whom  the  power  is  Icidgcd  to  decree 
the  (jualilt/,  color,  cut,  or  form  of  tlie  dress  to  be  worn  by  iil)  liis  subjects; 
and  whicf)  dress  I'le^  cannot  change  at  their  pleasure,  on  pain  of  bunish- 
nient.  Is  it  not  evident,  that  there 's  a^  iiiucli  ililfereiice  between  a  mitn's 
changing  his  food  and  raiiueiit,  at  his  otvn  pleasure,  and  on/y  at  the  pleas- 
ure oC  another,  as  theie  is  between  perfect  freedom  and  dcspousiii  of  the 
most  dire  character? 

(3  a)  Marriage  signifies  that  conjundion  of  goodness  and  truth  in  the 
soul,  without  whi  h  there  can  be  no  exjunction  with  the  Lord.  Whence, 
because  conjunction  with  the  Lord  involves  in  it  the  conjunction  of  good- 
ness ami  truth,  theretnre  i'  is  said,  that  the  Holy  Supper,  the  representa- 
tive of  the  former,  involves  marriage,  the  represetilative  of  the  I  ittcr. 

(3  A)  'I'hinji^  consisting  in  the  attitude  of  the  body,  whether  in  the  act 
ofsinting,  preaching,  or  pra>er,  or  in  dress,  or  in  a  differeni'e  between 
speaking  extempore  and  otherwise , /a//  under  ihe  cute<;ori/  of  Uie  ceremo- 
nials  of  Uie  church,  (thence  to  be  regulated,  whether  by  cterirnl  prencriplion, 
or  otherwise,)  no  more  than  a  man's  countenance,  whether  Uielancholy 
or  spT'\^\\t\y,  falls  under  the  category/  of  laic,  so  as  thence  to  be  punished 
or  rewarded! 


D.  Art.  3.] 


Degrees  of  Dignification. 


245 


ceremonies  of  the  church,  can  never  aUract  any  other  than  the 
sensual  or  external  man.  He  whose  soul  has  become  wnrmed 
and  enlightened  by-  Divine  Love  and  H'isdom,  can  only  be 
attracted  by  wliat  of  heaven — that  is,  what  of  Divine  Love  and 
Wisdom,  ihe  ceremony  represents — poin  s  out  and  teaches — 
while  he  regards  the  mere  form  someihing  similarly  to  the  way 
that  the  angels  of  heaven  regard  the  names  of  persons  and 
places — thai  is,  as  things  of  very  litile  consequence, 

193.  Those  who  were  cured  by  looking  at  the  brazen  ser- 
pent, were  not  cured  by  what  they  saw,  (Wis.  Sol.,  xvi.  7,) 
but  by  the  Lord  himself,  who  in  a  certain  sense  was  represented 
by  that  outward  cciemony  or  image.  Concerning  which,  we 
find,  that,  afterwards,  when  this  image  or  ceremony  was  set  up 
and  worshipped,  regardless  of  what  it  representetl,  that  one  of 
the  kings  of  Israel  \_Hezekiah,  that  is,  the  strength  of  tiie  Lord]] 
broke  it  into  fragments,  calling  it  Nehustan,  a  piece  of  brass! 
(2  Kings,  xviii.  4.)  And,  thus  it  has  been  with  mere  forms, 
so  wonderfully  desirable  with  external  men,  in  all  ages  of  the 
church  ;  for,  whenever  they  are  sought  after  and  looked  up  to 
as  things  desirable  and  beautiful  in  themselves,  the  king  of 
Israel — Hezekiali — '  the  strength  of  the  Lord  stands  armed 
against  them,  ready  to  dash  them  to  fragments  and  scatter  them 
to  the  winds.  But,  not  only  so,  for  the  Lord  will  have  no 
walls  to  His  temple,  thus  no  external  temple  at  all,  rather  thaa 
a  temple  whose  walls  [ceremonials]  are  all  that  is  regarded. 
That  such  is  really  the  case,  may  be  seen  from  many  places  in 
the  Word  ;  and  specially  from  the  destruction  of  the  Jewish 
temple  itself — nay,  from  this,  also,  that  the  Lord  loathed  and 
abhorred  the  sacrifices  of  Israel,  (although  ordained  by  Himself 
to  be  the  representatives  of  heavenly  things,)  when  they  became 
to  be  looked  up  to,  rather  than  to  the  things  they  represented ; 
or,  rather  than  to  obedience  to  the  voice  of  the  Lord  himself 
through  His  servants  the  prophets. 


CHAPTER  X. 

(Note  D- — Article  III.) 

ConcerniHg  eutward  discrete  Degrees  of  Dignification,  claim' 
ed  as  pertaining  to  the  body  of  the  Clergy^ 

194.  In  Universal  Theology,  n.  639,  we  learn,  that  when- 
«ver  a  false  pnnciple  becomes  fixed  by  persuasion  in  the  mind 
<rf  man,  if  he  then  reads  the  Word,  and  sees,  or  thinks  he  see.$ 

21* 


246 


Degrees  of  Bignijication.  [Chap.  X. 


things  favoring  that  principle,  he  immediately  falls  of  himself 
into  thai  which  he  liad  been  inclined  to  belie  ve  as  the  only 
thing;  that  is,  snch  man  becomes  confirmed  in  such  false  prin- 
ciple, comparatively,  like  one  who  sees  the  wriiing  on  one  side 
of  a  page,  and  slops  there,  uiierly  refusing  to  turn  over  and  look 
at  any  ihmg  that  might  be  on  the  other  side.  Nny,  uhimately, 
he  may  be  said  to  press  his  teeth  together,  and  liiss  with  his 
mouth  against  all  who  see  differently  from  himself,  as  if  they 
were  unintelligent  and  insane. 

That  such  is  the  case,  appears  to  be  remarkably  verified  from 
this,  that  some  of  the  clergy,  claiming  to  be  of  the  New  Church, 
adduce  U.  T.,  n.  106,  to  prove  lliereby,  that  there  are,  or  should 
be,  three  outward  discrete  degrees  or  grades  in  the  ministry  of 
the  New  Church.  Neverliieiess,  by  turning  to  the  pMSsage  in 
question,  it  will  be  seen,  that  all  the  things  contained  in  it  are 
only  illustrative  of  those  two  slates  of  the  Lord,  while  in  the 
world,  called  exinanition  or  humiliation,  and  gloriJication~— 
as  lor  example,  that  the  Jirst  slate  is  represented  by  a  virgin 
before  she  becomes  a  wife,  and  the  last  state  by  her  being  a 
wife  ; — ihe  ^rst,  by  a  man  before  he  attains  to  the  highest  ob- 
jecl  or  office  to  which  he  aspires,  and  the  last,  uy  the  actual 
attainment  of  snch  object  oi  office; — the  first,  by  the  slate  of 
infancy,  childhood  and  youth  up  to  manhood,  thus  by  every 
stale  of  obedience  and  instruction  from  masters  and  ministers; 
the  last,  when  the  same  man  becomes  his  own  master; — the 
Jirst,  by  journeying,  however  many  the  stages  or  resting-places ; 
the  last, hy  arrival  at  home; — the  _/?rs/,  by  reformation,  although 
it  includes  in  it  six  stales  or  stages,  answering  to  the  six  days 
of  creation;  the  last,  by  regeneration,  answering  to  ll  e  sabbath, 
or  day  of  rest; — and,  finally,  the  first,  by  every  sludctit  before 
he  becomes  a  priest,  and  of  every  priest  befvre  he  becomes  a 
pastor,  and  of  every  pastor  before  he  becomes  a  primate  ;  and, 
consequendy,  as  before,  the  lust  state  is  represented  by  the  at- 
tainment of  the  student,  priest  or  pastor  to  the  primacy  itself. 
From  all  which,  it  is  evident,  that  the  two  slates  of  the  Lord, 
namely,  hiimiiiaiion  and  glorification,  are  susceptible  of  being 
illustrated  by  things  predicated  of  many  stages  or  states,  equally 
as  by  things  predicated  of  few. 

But,  agreeably  to  what  was  above  suggested,  when  the  clergy 
had  found  that  priesis,  pastors  and  primates  had  not  only  beem 
spoken  of  according  to  the  order  assigned  ihem  in  the  consum- 
ma.ed  church  respectively,  (see  the  last  example,)  but,  also, 
that  accj:)rding  to  such  order  they  were  susceptible  of  illustrating 
divine  order  in  relation  to  the  humiliation  and  glorification  of 
the  Lord,  they  [the  clergy]  iinmcdialely  fell  of  themselves  into 


D.  Art.3.]     Mistaking  Illustrations  for  Doctrine.  247 


that  which  they  had  previously  believed,  as  the  very  tliinir  itself! 
and,  there  stopping  obstinately  short,  without  turnino^  over  a 
new  leaf  to  see  what  might  be  on  the  other  side,  they  shut  their 
teeth  close  together,  and  hissed  aloud  with  their  lips,  as  follows: 
♦Here,  under  the  names  of  priesf,  pas/or  and  primal e,  degrees 
in  the  ministry  [of  the  New  Church]  are  plainly  recognized, 
and  we  must  suppose  that  these  [degrees]  are  not  intendid  as 
mere  distinctions  without  a  difference  ! '  (See  Precursor,  vol.  2, 
p.  306.) 

195.  But,  the  hissings  or  whis^perings  of  the  clergy  to  the 
contrary,  it  should  be  known,  that  things  antagonistical,  nay, 
even  opposite  to  Divine  order,  may  be  athluced  and  thence  used 
as  things  by  which  to  illustrate  it;  and  that,  therefore,  they 
greatly  err  who  suppose  that  the  order  of  things  are  Divine 
merely  because  they  are  susceptible  of  illustrating  what  Divine 
order  is;  and  especially  what  Divine  order  is,  as  referred  to  a 
subject  which  has  no  relation  whatever  to  the  quality  of  the 
order  of  such  things  themselves.  Such  being  the  case,  then, 
taking  Divine  order  as  referred  to  the  Humiliation  and  Glorifi- 
cation of  the  Lord  for  the  subject,  it  will  therefore  follow,  that 
the  order  of  the  priesthood  of  the  old  church  (though  never  so 
contrary  to  Divine  order)  may  serve,  nay,  from  the  ascent  by 
degrees  therein  contained,  actually  does  serve  to  illustrate  Di- 
vine order  in  relation  to  that  subject;  especially  seeing,  that 
that  subject  has  no  relation  to  the  quality  of  the  order  of  the 
thing  that  illustrates.  That  no  reference  is  had  to  quality,  in 
the  things  illustrative  of  the  two  states  of  the  Lord  aforesaid, 
may  be  seen  from  this,  that  the  first  slate  is  said  to  be  repre- 
sented by  ^  every  man  befoie  he  obtains  an  office;' — for,  is  it 
necessary  to  tell,  thai  there  are  not  only  oflices,  but  means  of 
obtainmg  them,  which  are  rather  after  infernal,  than  heavenly 
order  ? 

196.  The  two  states  of  the  Lord,  while  in  the  world,  are 
susceptible  of  being  illustrated  by  the  hierarchy  of  Rome,  as  it 
existed  in  the  fifth  century,  equally  as  by  that  of  the  Reformed 
church,  in  the  eighteenth  century,  as  adduced  above:  for, 
whereas,  ia  relation  to  the  Reformed  church,  it  is  said,  that  the 
first  state  is  represented  by  the  state  of  '  every  student  before 
he  becomes  a  priest,  and  of  every  priest  before  he  becomes  a 
pastor,'  etc.  So,  in  relation  to  the  Catholic  ehurch,  it  may 
with  equal  propriety  be  said,  that  the  first  state  is  represented 
by  the  state  of  every  layman  before  he  becomes  an  ostarius ; 
and  of  every  ostarius  before  he  becomes  an  exorcista ;  and  of 
every  exorcista  before  he  becomes  an  acoluthus  ;  and  of  every 
acoluthus  before  he  becomes  a  subdeacon;  and  of  every  sub- 


248 


Degrees  of  iJignificalion. 


[C!  ap.  X. 


dearon  before  he  becomes  a  deacon  ;  and  of  every  deacon  before 
he  I  ecoraes  an  elder;  and  of  every  elder  before  lie  becomes  an 
episccpus,  bishop,  or  pope  ;  and  ihe  last  state  is  represented  by 
the  aliainment  of  the  popedom  iiself; 

But,  it  is  self-evident,  that  this  ilUistralion,  drawn  from  a 
priestliood  of  seven  degrees,  is  precisely  similar  in  regard  to 
the  snhject  to  be  illustrated,  widi  that  drawn  from  a  priesthood 
of  three  degrees  ; 

Therefore,  if  that  of  three  deerees,  from  its  serving  to  illus- 
trate a  particular  subject,  should  be  embraced  by  the  New 
Church,  so  also  should  that  of  seven  degrees  will  the  pope  at 
its  head  in  like  manner  be  embraced,  seeing  it  also  ii'.ustrates 
the  same  subject  precisely  the  same  way. 

197.  From  all  which  it  is  concluded,  that  the  example,  in 
U.  T.,  106,  wherein  priests,  pastors  and  primates  are  spoken 
of,  was  never  adduced  in  order  to  vindicate  and  maintain  the 
order  of  the  old  church  priesthood,  much  less  to  inir"Uuce  it, 
like  a  hurlot  in  a  new  dress,  into  the  New  Church  of  the  Lord. 
But,  contrariwise,  that  it  was  adduced  for  no  other  purpose  than 
that  for  which  it  was  used,  namely,  to  illustrate  the  t)r<'gress  of 
Divine  order,  in  relation  to  the  aforesaid  two  states  of  the  Lord 
while  in  the  world.  And,  consequently,  as  before  suggested, 
that  he  wIk)  reads  U.  T.,  106,  and  theie  sees  that  ;  lere  are 
three  degrees  in  the  ministry  of  tlie  New  Church,  does  neither 
more  r.or  less  than  fall  of  himself  into  that  which  he  hud  previ- 
ously believed  to  be  the  very  thing;  and  that  he  is,  compara- 
tively, like  one  who  sees  writing  on  one  side  of  a  leaf,  but  who 
refuses  to  turn  it  over  so  as  to  look  on  the  other  side. 

19S.  Li  Corr)nis,  16,  we  lenrn,  that  heaven  consists  of  the 
highest,  the  middle,  and  the  lowest ;  that  the  highest  consists  of 
those  who  love  the  Lord,  and  are  in  wisdom  thence — called  the 
celestial ;  that  the  middle  consists  of  those  who  love  f'le  neigh- 
bor, and  are  in  inl€iligence  thcnee — called  the  spiritual;  and 
that  the  lowest  consists  of  those  who  naturally  love  il^e  neigh- 
bor from  a  spiiitual  principle,  and  are  in  eharity  thence — called 
the  spiritual-natural.  And,  not  only  «o,  but  we  are  farther 
taught,  that  the  trine,  here  indicated,  manifests  itself  externally 
in  every  thing  merely  external ; — as,  for  example,  m  a  man, 
externally  considered,  the  head  ie  the  third  degree,  ihe  body 
the  second,  and  the  feet  and  soles  of  the  feet  the  first  degree; 
and  so,  in  a  kingdom  or  republic,  conceived  of  in  the  same  way, 
the  king  or  magistrate,  as  the  head,  i*  of  the  third  degree  ;  the 
officers,  as  the  body,  of  the  second  degree;  and  the  yeomanry 
or  servants,  as  the  feet  and  soles  of  the  feet,  of  the  first  degree. 
Nay,  it  is  from  the  determiDation  of  Divine  order  operating  in 


D.  Art.  3.]     Representatives  given — why  given. 


249 


ullimates,  that,  in  every  kingdom,  merely  natural  and  external, 
it  is  given  to  externally  represent  tlie  tliree  heavens,  above 
spoken  of,  namely,  by  creating  a  king  or  cliief  mafjistraie,  who 
shall  correspond  to  the  highest  detfree,  or  celestial  heaven  ;  and 
subordinate  officers,  corresponding  to  the  middle  degree  or  spir- 
itual heaven  ;  and  by  leaving  the  yeomanry  wilh  their  servants 
to  represent  the  lowest  degree  or  spiritual-natural  heavens. 
But,  ihe  case  is  altogether  different  with  respect  to  the  Lord's 
kingdom  or  true  church  upon  the  earth ;  for,  inasmuch  as  it  is 
internal  or  spiritual  wilh  respect  to  all  other  kingdoms,  and  is 
the  very  soul  itself  of  which  ihey  are  the  body,  it  is  therefore 
not  given  to  it  to  externally  represent  the  three  heavens,  other- 
wise than  as  they  are  already  represented  in  the  natural  or  ex- 
ternal kingdoms  of  the  earth,  which  form  her  naiuril  body. 
The  Jewish  church  being  merely  external,  and  tluis  making 
one  with  external  kingdoms,  therefore  it  was  given  to  it,  that 
Aaron,  his  sons,  and  the  Levites,  with  the  people  [laity^  under 
them,  should  be  made  representatives  of  the  three  heavens  re- 
spectively. Namely:  Aaron,  of  the  celestial  or  ih:rd  dejjree ; 
his  sons,  of  the  spiritual  or  second  degree  ;  and  the  Leviies  wilh 
the  people,  [laity,]  of  the  spiritual-natural  degree.  Not  only 
so,  but  similar  things  may  be  said  of  the  Catholic  and  Reformed 
churches  ;  for,  inasmuch  as  they  also  became  meiely  external, 
and  thence  one  with  the  external  kingdoms  in  which  they  exist, 
it  is  therefore  permitted,  that  their  mitred  prelates,  priests  and 
curates  with  the  laity  should  be  made  represent;  lives  of  the 
three  heavens  respectively.  Namely:  Mitred  prelates,  of  the 
celestial  or  third  degree;  priests,  of  the  spiritual  or  second  de- 
gree ;  and  curates  with  the  laity,  of  the  spiritual-natural  or  first 
degree.  Whence,  it  becomes  evident,  that  when  the  men  of 
the  church  become  destitute  of  the  celestial  and  spiritual  of 
heaven,  that  is,  when  the  spiritual  and  celestial  of  Itie  Word 
becomes  sealed  up  to  the  men  of  the  church,  the  two  hiijher 
degrees  of  heaven  must  then  be  outwardly  represented  ;  other- 
wise there  could  be  no  communication  with  heaven.  But, 
when  these  degrees  are  outwardly  represented,  whether  as  by 
Aaron  and  his  sons,  or  as  by  mitred  prelates  and  their  priests, 
it  inevitably  results,  that  the  people  [laity]  must  become  merely 
representative  of  the  spiritual-natural  or  lowest  degree  ;  and, 
becon)ing  such,  the  whole  church,  from  the  head  to  the  feet 
and  soles  of  the  feet,  becomes  a  mere  worldly  institution — 
making  one  in  all  things  with  the  kingdoms  of  this  world. 

199.  But,  as  before  suggested,  the  case  is  altogether  differ- 
ent with  the  New  Church,  inasmuch  as  with  her,  the  spiritual 
and  celestial  of  heaven  is  restored  and  brought  to  light,  by 


250 


Degrees  of  Dignijication. 


[Chap.  X. 


means  of  the  spiritual  and  celestial  senses  of  the  Word  being 
now  opened  up  and  unfolded,  which  had  been  cnncealed  in  the 
clouds  of  mystery  since  the  world  began.  This  chuieh  being 
the  receptacle  of  ihe  celestial  and  spiritual  things  of  iieaven,  the 
representatives  thereof,  whether  it  be  by  miired  pielaies  and 
their  |)riests,  or  otherwise,  must  needs  with  her  become  forever 
abolished.  The  laity  of  this  church,  (if  laity  could  indeed  be 
predicated  of  it,)  with  their  curates  or  ministering  servants,  can 
never  be  merely  representatives  of  the  spiritual-natural  or  first 
degiee  ;  for,  they  will  be  actually  in  it  I  Nc*  only  so,  but 
because  the  spiritual-naiural  decree,  in  which  t'le  men  of  the 
New  Church  are,  includes  both  the  spiritual  and  celestial  de- 
grees within  it,  therefore  it  follows,  that  the  Ne  v  Church  is  in 
possession  of  the  very  substance  shadowed  by  mitred  prelates, 
priests,  and  curates  with  the  laity  under  them.  Whence  the 
savin?,  in  Coronis  17,  is  faithful  and  tcorthy  of  all  accepta- 
tion, namely,  that  'in  the  church  there  must  be  mi'red  prelates, 
priests,  and  curates,'  etc. ;  nay,  we  might  add,  in  the  new  as 
well  as  the  old;  for,  agreeably  to  what  has  beeii  laid  down  just 
above,  the  New  Church  men  have  the  things  of  heaven  them- 
selves, which  are  represented  by  mitred  prelates,  priests,  etc., 
and  thence  be  put  in  possession  of  them  genumely,  whilst  the 
old  c.iurch  must  have  only  the  representaiives  of  deaveiily  things, 
and  thence  be  put  in  possession  of  them  only  representatively. 
To  which  add,  that  the  New  Church,  because  .-he  is  internal 
and  spiritual,  will  strive  to  proinote  the  passage  ft  the  shadoics 
of  the  old  church,  in  passmsr  to  pass  forever  a\<  v-  to  ihe  end 
that  men  may  with  more  facility  embrace  the  substance  of 
heaven  itself! 

200.  Whilst  the  apostolic  church  remained  as  a  chaste  virgin 
to  the  Lord,  she  bore  a  swift  testimony  against  the  whole  repre- 
sentative system  under  the  general  term  '  /aw.'  That  such  is 
the  case,  may  be  seen  from  the  debates  had  in  ih;^  general  con- 
vention  of  the  Christian  church,  held  at  Jerusalem,  A.  D.,  46  ; 
for,  at  that  convention,  we  finii,  that  certain  christians,  of  the 
sect  of  the  Pharisees,  rose  up  and  contended,  thai  *  it  was  need- 
ful to  circumcise  the  christians  and  to  command  them  to  keep 
the  law  of  Moses  ;'  or,  what 's  the  same  thing,  Hint  the  whole 
representative  system  of  Moses  should  be  kept  up  in  the  Chris- 
tian church  ;  forgetting  that  he  who  was  circumci-ed  became 
thenc?  a  debtor  to  do  the  whole  law  ;  that  is,  .liat  he  thence 
fell  under  the  representative  system,  or  system  of  shadows,  so 
that  Christ,  the  substance,  coulil  profit  him  nothinii !  (Gal.,  v.  3.) 
But,  from  the  journals  of  that  c<mvention,  we  learn,  that,  after 
there  had  been  much  disputing,  Peter  took  the  floor,  and,  after 


D.  Art.  3.] 


Christ  the  End  of  the  Law. 


251 


making  some  memorable  remarks,  concluded  by  saying,  '  Now, 
therefore,  why  tempt  ye  God  to  put  a  yoke  on  the  necks  of  the 
disciples  which  neither  our  fathers  nor  we  were  able  to  bear!'' 
The  yoke  here  alluded  to,  is  manifestly  neither  more  nor  less 
than  the  representative  system  of  the  Jewish  church.  (See  Acts, 
XV.)  Again,  the  representative  things  of  the  Jewish  law  are 
what  the  aposile  calls  deeds  of  the  laiv,  where  he  concludes, 
'  that  a  man  is  justified  by  faith,  without  the  deeds  of  the  law  ; 
(Rom.,  iii.  28;)  for  these  alone  are  the  deeds  of  the  law  by 
which  no  flesh  shall  be  justified  in  his  [God's]  sight.  (Ver.  20.) 
Repsesentative  things  are  called  works;  and  worship  in  ac- 
cordance with  them  is  railed  ivorkins; ;  whence,  says  Paul, 
'  Now  1(1  him  that  worketh,  is  the  reward  not  reckoned  of  grace 
but  of  debt.  But,  to  him  that  worketh  not,  but  believeth  on 
Him  that  juslifielh  the  ungodly,  his  faith  is  coun'ed  for  right- 
eousness!' (Rom.,  vi.  4,  5.)  Again,  representative  things  are 
called  fksh,  and,  to  be  under  them,  is  called  living  after  the 
flesh;  whence  Paul  teaches,  that  '  when  we  were  in  the  flesh, 
the  motions  of  sins,  which  were  by  the  law,  did  work  m  our 
members  to  bring  foith  fruit  unto  death  ;'  (Rom.,  vii.  5;)  that 
'  there  is  no  condemnation  to  them  which  are  in  Christ  Jesus, 
who  walk  not  after  the  flesh,  but  after  the  Spirit ;'  that  '  they 
that  are  af  er  the  flesh  do  mind  the  things  of  the  Jiesh,  but  they 
that  are  alter  the  Spirit  the  things  that  are  of  the  Spirit ;'  that 
*  they  that  are  alter  the  Jlesh  cannot  please  God  ;'  that  '  those 
who  have  the  Spirit  of  Christ  are  not  in  the  flesh,  but  in  the 
Spirit ;'  that  '  the  brethren  are  debtors  not  to  the  flesh  to  live 
after  the  flesh,  inasmuch  as  they  have  not  received  the  spirit  of 
bondage  [yoke  of  bondage]  again  to  fear,'  etc. ;  (see  Rom.,  viii.) 
that  men  receive  not  the  Spirit  by  the  works  of  the  law,  but  by 
the  hearing  of  faith,  and  that  they  who  begin  in  the  Spirit  should 
not  hope  to  be  made  perfect  by  the  flesh — that  is,  by  the  law 
or  representative  system ;  (see  Gal.,  iii.  2,  3  ;)  that  the  flesh 
lusteth  against  the  Spirit,  but  that  they  who  are  led  by  the 
Spirit  are  not  under  the  law — that  is,  the  fleshly  system  ;  (see 
Gal.,  V.  17,  18  ;)  that  the  law  is  the  schoolmaster  or  representa- 
tive system  to  bring  the  people  to  Christ,  but  that  after  that 
faith  is  come  we  are  no  longer  under  that  system  ;  (see  Gal., 
iv.  24,  25 ;)  that  men  ought  to  beware  of  being  spoiled  by 
sophistry,  and  the  vanity  of  deceitfulness — after  the  things  of 
the  representative  system,  [elements  of  this  world,]  and  not 
after  Christ;  (see  Col.,  ii.  8  ;)  that  men  ought  to  be  circum- 
cised, not  representatively,  but  with  that  made  without  hands, 
in  putting  ofi  the  body  of  sins  of  the  representative  system, 
^flesh,]  by  the  circumcision  of  Christ ;  (verse  11;)  that  the 


252 


Degrees  of  Digmjication.  [Chap.  X. 


saints  of  the  Lord  should  not  be  judged  in  relation  to  repre- 
sentative shadows — as  oi  new  moons,  holy  days,  sabbath  days, 
etc. — the  body  or  substance  of  all  which  is  Christ ;  that  he 
who  judges  against  the  saints  concerning  shadows,  ihe  body  of 
which  is  Christ,  is  a  voluntary  in  humility,  a  worshipper  of 
angels,  and  is  vainly  puffed  up  in  his  fleshly  mind;  (see  ver. 
16,  17,  18  ;)  that,  living  with  Christ,  the  saints  are  dead  to  the 
representative  system,  [rudiments  of  this  world,]  and  therefore 
ought  not  to  be  subject  to  oidinances  which  perisli  in  the  using, 
according  to  the  commandments  and  doctrines  of  men  ;  (see 
verses  "^0,  21,  22;)  and,  finally,  that  the  servants  of  the  Lord 
ought  not  to  touch,  taste  or  handle  the  things  of  the  representa- 
tive system,  inasmuch  as  Christ  is  the  end  of  it  [the  l  iw]  to 
every  one  that  believelh.  (See  Rom.,  x.  4.)  From  all  which 
testimony,  it  becomes  manifest,  that  representatives  had  no 
place  in  the  mind  of  Paul  at  least.    (See  also  1  Cor.,  i.  17.) 

201.  But  the  opposition  of  the  primitive  church  to  the  repre- 
sentative system  of  the  Jews — (involving  the  weak  and  beggarly 
elements  of  the  world — the  traditions  and  commandments  of 
men — the  show  of  wisdom  in  wi/l-tvorship  and  humility,  and 
the  affliction  thence  of  the  body,  [the  church,]  not  in  honor, 
[not  for  the  sake  of  good,]  but  for  the  advancement  of  the  fleshly 
system — see  Col.,  ii.  2,  3) — continued  with  her  only  so  long 
as  she  continued  a  chaste  virgin  to  the  Lord — only  so  long  as 
she  continued  to  look  to  the  Lord  alone  for  counsel  and  direc- 
tion. For,  we  find,  that,  from  the  day  that  she  began  to  look  to 
conventions  and  councils  for  direction  in  the  things  of  heaven, 
and  to  place  her  confidence  therein,  that  her  star,  which  here- 
tofore liad  shone  resplendently  in  the  heavens,  became  set  be- 
low their  horizon  forever.  Whence  it  resulted,  that  she  im- 
mediately went  about  to  set  up  mitred  prelates,  priests  and  cu- 
rates; nay,  even  chief  priests,  priests  and  Levites,  answering 
to  those  of  the  Jews,  and  thence  representative  of  those  heavens 
out  of  which  she  had  forever  fallen.  (See  n.  48,  art.  16.)  In  a 
word,  the  church,  first  planted  by  the  apostles,  having  at  length 
fallen  from  internals  to  externals  merely,  therefore  it  was  per- 
mitted, that  she  should,  by  her  mitred  prelates,  priests,  and  cu- 
rates with  the  laity,  represent  the  heavenly  Trine,  equally  with 
the  external  kingdoms  of  the  world,  by  their  crowned  kings, 
subordinate  officers,  and  yeomanry  with  their  servants  under 
them. 

202.  But,  to  what  end  can  the  New  Christian  Church  of  the 
Lord,  the  internal  and  crown  of  all  other  churches,  whilst  she 
remains  such,  ever  think  of  setting  up  a  ministry,  of  degrees 
and  grades,  (whether  three  or  seven,)  to  represent  the  heavens, 


D.  Art.3.]     Popery  Double-dyed  in  the  fVool. 


253 


in  which,  hke  a  star  of  the  first  magnitude,  it  is  ordained  that 
she  should  shine  forever  and  ever  !  The  primitive  church  never 
thought  of  a  hierarchy  of  different  degrees  until  her  sun  had 
sunk  below  the  horizon  of  heaven.  (See  note  h.)  Whence,  it 
may  be  iinown,  that  those  who  go  about  to  get  up  different  de- 
grees in  the  ministry  of  the  New  Church,  whereby  to  represent 
the  heavens — celestial,  spiritual,  and  spiritual-natural — are  be- 
low their  horizon,  and  make  one  with  the  consummated  church, 
however  they  may  claim  to  be  of  the  New  Church.  Will  the 
New  Church  set  up  a  ministry,  of  the  second  and  third  degrees, 
through  or  by  which  to  manifest  the  spiritual  and  celestial 
heavens  ?  By  no  means  :  it  would  be  presumption  in  the  ex- 
treme. Are  we  not  abundantly  taught,  in  the  seven-fold  light 
of  this  latter  day  glory,  that  no  man,  while  in  the  body,  knows 
to  which  of  the  kingdoms  of  the  Lord,  that  is,  the  celestial, 
spiritual,  or  natural,  he  belongs?  If,  therefore,  a  man  knows 
not  for  himself  to  which  of  these  kingdoms  he  belongs,  how 
shall  he  know  to  which  of  them  another  belongs  ?  Whence,  it 
is  plain,  that,  for  one  man,  either  to  set  up  himself,  or  another, 
as  a  medium  through  which  to  manifest  ihe  celestial  or  spiritual 
degree  of  heaven,  is  presumption  in  the  extreme.  It  is  claim- 
ing infallibility ;  it  is  popery  double-dyed  in  the  wool  ;  and  it 
is  amongst  the  largest  strides  that  sinful  worms  of  the  dust, 
from  the  lust  of  dominion  over  the  things  of  heaven,  were  ever 
excited  to  take.  (See  n.  32.)  Shall  the  New  Church  indeed 
turn  away  back,  so  as  to  meet  the  old  on  her  own  plain — the 
plain  of  Dura,  Qhe  eye  of  the  generation,]  fsee  Daniel,  iii.) 
where  stands  the  image  of  her  darling  dogma  of  three  persons 
in  the  Godhead  ;  and  there,  like  hail  brothers  well  met,  to 
strike  hands  with  her,  justify  her,  and  become  her  surety  ! 
Nay,  to  lock  arms  with  her,  kiss  her,  and  speak  comfortable 
words  to  her,  saying,  some  of  your  priests  are  doubtless  sincere 
and  honest,  therefore  it  is  uncharitable  to  say  aught  against  the 
clergy  of.  your  church!  (Compare  Precursor,  vol.  3,  p.  63, 
first  column.) 

203.  Says  Blackstone,  *Our  ancestors  never  separated  digni- 
ty from  duty.'  But,  casting  our  eyes  towards  the  English  na- 
tion, the  descendants  of  the  ancestors  of  which  Blackstone 
speaks,  and  lo  !  the  first  object  that  falls  within  our  vision,  is  a 
great  and  mighty  Babylonian  tower  of  dignification,  rising  above 
the  plain  of  the  people,  story  or  degree  above  story  or  degree, 
like  Alps  upon  Alps,  even  up  to  the  sixty-sixth  degree!  where, 
in  awful  majesty,  sits  the  king — the  supreme  head  of  the  church 
of  England — the  spring  of  earthly  honor,  and  the  fountain  of 
dignification  and  worldly  glory ! 

22 


254 


Degrees  of  Dignification.  [Chap.  X* 


But,  look  again,  for  lo !  the  sides  of  the  tower  are  covered 
with  aspirants,  all  climbing  upwards,  with  their  eyes  intently 
fixed  on  the  degrees  immediately  above  them,  if  not  on  the  de- 
gree at  the  highest  pinnacle;  or  upon  the  clouds  still  higher! 
And,  having  seen  all  this,  is  it  not  evident,  (inasmuch  as  with 
all  who  belong  to  the  tower  of  dignification,  the  eternal  strife  is 
for  higher  degrees  thereof,  and  who  shall  be  the  highest,)  that 
the  drudgery  of  duty  must  needs  be  abandoned,  as  if  by  one 
consent,  to  those  who  are  humble  enough  to  remain  content  in 
the  vale  below  ? 

204.  But,  by  a  closer  inspection  of  this  high  and  mighty 
tower,  at  the  top  of  which  sits  enthroned  the  supreme  head  of 
the  church  of  England,  we  discover,  that  the  eye  must  be  ele- 
vated lo  the  thirty-sixth  degree  before  it  comes  in  range  with 
the  dignitaries  of  the  church  ;  for,  ii  must  be  known,  that  the 
com-^on  bishops  of  England  are  of  the  thirty-sixth  degree  in 
the  tower  of  dignijicalion  ;  that  the  bishop  of  Winchester  is  of 
the  thirty-seventh  degree;  that  the  bishop  of  Durham  is  of  the 
thirty- eighth  degree  ;  and  that  the  bishop  of  London  is  of  the 
thirty-ninth  degree.  To  such  degrees  of  height,  in  the  Babel 
tower  of  dignification,  are  the  bishops  installed,  with  their  spir- 
itual advisers — their  deans  and  chapters — whose  duty  it  is  to 
give  wise  counsel  in  the  affairs  of  religion  and  the  concerns  of 
their  sees.  (Compare  with  Precursor,  vol.  2,  p.  369,  second 
column  ;  and  with  Blackstone,  vol.  1,  p.  382.)  But,  far  above 
these,  namely,  in  the  sixtieth  and  sixty-secoiid  degrees,  sit 
enthroned,  in  awful  height,  the  two  prelates — conskcrated 
riRSTs ! — or  archbishops  of  York  and  Canterbury! — (^c)-— 
whose  titles  of  address  (or  rather  of  blasphemy)  are  grace,  and 
most  reverend  father  in  God  by  divine  providence! — whilst 
the  titles  and  style  of  the  common  bishops  are  lord,  and  right 
reverend  father  in  God  by  divine  permission! 

205.  Having  then  obtained  a  partial  view  of  the  system  of 
dignity  and  degrees,  built  up  and  established  in  England,  the 
highest  degree  of  which  being  occupied  by  the  king,  as  the  su- 
preme head  of  the  church  of  England,  is  it  necessary  to  tell, 
that  the  whole  is  but  a  slight  modification  of  that  system  of 
dignity  and  degrees,  long  before  built  up  and  established  in 
Rome,  the  highest  degree  of  which  was  occupied  by  the  pope, 


(3  c)  A  ludicrous  struggle  took  place,  in  tbe  reign  of  Henry  II.  of  Eng- 
land, between  Roger  and  Richard,  archbishops  of  Canterbury  and  York, 
for  the  chair  on  the  right  hand  of  the  pope's  legate!  From  which  time 
the  great  distinction  between  these  mighty  prelates  seems  to  be,  that  he 
of  Canterbury  is  primate  of  all  England,  while  he  of  York  is  only  the 
primate  of  England! 


D.  Art.  3.]    Relative  Places  of  Dignity  and  Duly. 


255 


as  the  supreme  head  of  the  church  of  Rome,  and  that,  therefore, 
both  are  essentially  the  same  church  ;  especially  seeing,  that  a 
harlot  is  not  the  less  a  harlot,  because  she  has  somewhat  changed 
and  altered  the  fashion  of  her  tlress,  to  suit  the  caprice  of  her 
lovers  ^ 

Whence,  it  may  be  justly  concluded,  that  the  clergy  who 
now  go  about  to  teach,  that  there  are  different  discrete  degrees 
of  outward  dignification  belonging  to  their  order — and  especially, 
since  it  is  now  known,  that  it  would  be  the  height  of  arrogance 
and  presumption  for  any  man,  while  in  this  life,  to  outwardly 
assume  either  the  celestial  or  spiritual  degree — are  none  other 
than  those  whose  bowels  yearn  for  another  sip  of  the  wine 
from  the  cup  of  Babylon,  of  which  the  nations  have  drunken 
and  are  mad. 

206.  Those  who  go  about  to  establish  a  system  of  dignifica- 
tion in  the  State,  whether  consisting  of  six,  sixty-six,  or  of 
six  hundred  and  sixty-six  degrees,  (answering  to  the  name  of 
the  beast  treated  of  in  the  Apocalypse,)  and  afterwards  fall  to 
work  in  forging  out  duties  respectively  correspondent,  are  none 
other  than  just  correspondents  of  those  in  the  church  who  first 
establish  faith  as  essential,  and  then  go  about  to  forge  out  a 
charity  thence  flowing  and  thence  correspendent.  They  who 
put  dignity  in  the  first  place  and  duty  in  the  second,  are  never 
actuated  by  the  essence  of  true  dignity  ;  and  which  is  none 
other  than  a  love  of  duty  or  use,  and  thence  the  love  of  country, 
which  flows  originally  from  love  to  tlie  Lord  and  charity  towards 
the  neighbor;  but,  contrariwise,  are  always  actuated  by  the 
love  of  self,  the  lust  of  dominion  and  worldly  glory.  Whence 
it  is,  that  the  duties  forged  out  correspondent  to  such  dignity 
are  not  duties  truly,  but  duties  merely  nominal,  useless  and 
empty.  Dignities  in  the  first  place,  are  such  as  those  in  Eng- 
land are  possessed  of,  who  are  dignified  by  letters  patent  from 
the  king,  '■without  a}iy  shadow  of  office  [use,  duty,  or  trustj 
pertaining  to  them ;'  and  duties  forged  out  in  the  second  place, 
are,  comparatively,  as  if  along  with  the  patent  dignity  the 
patentee  was  made  keeper  of  some  castle  that  had  no  existence 
but  in  name!  'John  de  Beauchamp,  steward  to  the  household 
of  Richard  II.  was  created  by  patent  lord  Beaitchamp,  baron 
of  Kidderminster  in  tail  male  ;'  (see  Blackstone,  vol.  1,  p.  399;) 
that  is,  that  the  patent  dignification  of  Beauchamp,  by  which 
he  must  be  styled  lord  Beauchamp,  might  appear  to  be  attend- 
ed with  office,  trust,  use,  or  duly,  the  inspection  or  charge  of 
Kidderminster  (a  place,  castle,  or  thing  having  no  existence 
but  in  name)  must  be  gravely  committed  to  him  for  safe  keep- 
ing!   Whence  it  becomes  quite  manifeist,  that  the  principal  end 


Degrees  of  Dignification.  [Chap.  X. 


and  design  of  all  duties  and  uses  whatever,  when  adapted  and 
accommodated  to  dignities  occupying  the  first  place,  is  for  no 
other  purpose  than  to  dazzle  the  eyes  of  the  understanding  of 
the  people,  and  thence  to  hold  them  in  such  a  state  of  blindness, 
as  that  they  might  look  up  to  their  patent  made  lords  as  the 
great  ones  of  the  earth,  and  to  those  who  exercise  cruel  domin- 
ion over  them  as  their  benefactors.  But,  as  before  suggested, 
as  dignity,  when  occupying  the  first  place,  is  a  false  dignity,  so 
also  is  faith  a  false  faith,  when  occupying  the  same  place  ;  and, 
as  is  the  case  in  relation  to  such  dignity,  so,  correspondently, 
is  the  case  in  relation  to  such  faith ;  seeing,  that  charity  or 
good  works,  forged  out  and  fitted  up  to  such  faith,  must  needs 
make  one  with  the  keeping  of  Kidderminster  castle .'  that  is, 
must  needs  be  a  sounding  brass,  a  tinkling  cymbal.'  Nay, 
farther  corresponding :  for,  such  good  works,  so  fitted  up  as  to 
be  conjoined  to  faith,  occupying  the  first  place,  can  never  serve 
any  other  purpose  than  to  dazzle  the  eyes  of  the  understanding 
of  the  laity,  and  thence  to  hold  them  in  such  a  state  of  blindness 
9s  to  cause,  that  they  should  look  up  to  their  patent  made  priests, 
(for,  such  should  all  be  considered  who  teach,  tliat  faiih  is  in 
the  first  place,)  who  exercise  cruel  dominion  over  them,  as  the 
wise  of  the  earth,  and  as  their  benefactors ;  although  they  have 
robbed  them  of  all  freedom  in  spiritual  things. 

207.  But,  if  the  clergy,  in  the  first  place,  decree  or  establish 
a  system  of  dignification,  in  relation  to  their  own  body,  consist- 
ing of  different  degrees,  one  above  another,  and  afterwards  go 
about  to  forge  and  fit  up  duties  or  uses  adapted  and  accommo- 
dated to  such  degrees  respectively,  and  all  this,  while  tliey  are 
utterly  unable  to  produce  any  thing  from  any  authentic  source, 
in  the  shape  of  Divine  authority,  either  for  their  external  de- 
grees of  dignity,  or  for  the  respectivity  of  those  duties  or  uses 
they  ivould  assign  to  each  degree  respectively — then,  from  the 
things  adduced  in  a  few  of  the  numbers  just  preceding,  it  be- 
comes manifest,  that  the  clergy  in  question  make  one  with  those 
of  the  consummated  church,  who,  as  before  stated,  set  up  faith 
in  the  first  place  as  essential,  and,  in  the  second  place,  go  about 
to  forge,  fit  up,  and  conjoin  the  things  of  charity,  called  good 
works,  to  such  faith.  Wherefore  also,  they  make  one  with 
those  who  rack  their  brains  to  invent  specific  remedies,  whereby 
to  heal  the  wounded  head  of  the  beast  which  arose  from  the 
sea!  (See  Ap.  Ex.,  13th  chapter,  and  n.  172.)  Nay,  farther, 
when  clerical  degrees  of  dignity  are  set  in  the  first  place,  it  will 
follow,  that  the  duties  or  uses  which  may  afterwards  be  hatched 
out  and  fitted  thereto,  respectively — as,  for  example,  the  duty 
of  officiating  at  weddings,  to  be  assigned  to  one  degree ;  the 


D.  Art.  3.]    Relative  Places  of  Dignity  and  Duly.  257 


duty  of  administering  the  ordinances,  to  be  assigned  to  a  second 
degree  ;  and  the  duty  of  ordination,  including  the  duties  of  the 
other  degrees,  to  be  assigned  to  the  third  degree — will,  com- 
paratively, be  little  belter  than  Kidderminster  castle-keeping, 
or,  at  best,  like  as  if  one  wing  of  a  castle  should,  by  patent 
right,  be  given  to  one  man  for  safe  keeping,  when  the  keeping 
of  the  whole  castle  had  previously  been  committed  to  another 
by  the  same  right.  Nay,  the  difference  of  such  duties,  in  point 
of  dignity,  when  seen  in  the  light  of  heaven,  will  be  discovered 
to  be — ^just  nothing  at  all ;  and  hence,  that  the  absurdity  of  sup- 
posing that  there  should  be  priests  of  different  degrees  of  dignity 
to  perform  different  duties,  which,  in  point  of  dignity,  have  no 
differeDce  between  them,  has  only  a  parallel  in  the  prelates  of 
Canterbury  and  York,  who,  in  point  of  degrees  of  dignity,  are 
different,  tlic  former  being  two  degrees  higher  than  the  latter  ; 
but  the  difference  of  whose  duties,  in  point  of  dignity,  is  deter- 
mined from  this,  that  he  of  York  is  the  primate  of  England, 
while  he  of  Canterbury  is  the  primate  of  all  England  ! 

208.  Blind  then  must  that  man  be,  who  is  yet  unable  to  see^ 
that  they  who  go  about  to  tri-sect  the  duty  that  one  class  of 
functionaries  of  the  same  grade  or  degree  may  appropriately 
perform,  into  three  sections,  to  the  end  that  such  duty  might 
thence  be  fitted  up  to  different  degrees  of  clerical  dignity,  and 
that  in  such  sort,  that  those  in  the  first  degree  may  perform  the 
first  section,  those  of  the  second  degree  the  first  two  sections, 
and  those  of  the  third  degree  the  whole  duly  at  first  tri-sected, 
are  none  others  than  they  who  set  up  dignity  in  the  first  place, 
and  duty  in  the  second ;  and,  consequently,  make  one  with 
those  who  set  up  failii  in  the Jirst  place  as  essential,  and  charity 
in  the  second  as  flowing  from  it.  To  which  let  it  be  added, 
that  all  the  tinsel-tassel  of  degrees  of  dignity,  claimed  by  the 
clergy,  and  all  their  labors  in  dissecting  duties,  and  thence  in 
fitting  them  up  to  degrees  of  dignity  respectively,  like  Kidder- 
minster castle-keeping,  serve  no  other  purpose  than  to  dazzle 
the  understanding  of  the  men  of  the  church,  until  the  clergy 
may  gain  time  to  rivet  the  fetters  of  spiritual  bondage  fast  upon 
them,  and  thence  rob  them  of  the  last  remains  of  freedom  in 
spiritual  things. 

209.  But,  to  conclude  the  subject  of  Degrees  as  claimed  by 
the  clergy,  let  it  be  farther  observed,  thai  the  clergy,  unless 
actuated  by  the  love  of  self,  and  the  lust  of  pre-eminence,, do- 
minion and  worldly  glory,  will  never  decree  degrees  of  earthly 
dignity  to  themselves,  much  less  will  they,  unless  thus  actuated, 
decree  and  establish  them  in  the  first  place,  and  then,  in  the 
jtecowZ  place,  go  about  to  cause  it  to  be  decreed,  whethea*;** 


258 


Ecclesiastical  Legislation.  [E.Art.  4, 


council  or  convention,  that  it  shall  be  the  duty  of  the  clergy  to 
search  out,  fit  up,  and  accommodate  duties  correspondent  to 
such  degrees  respectively  ;  or,  what  is  virtually  the  same  thing, 
in  the  second  place,  go  about  to  cause  it  to  be  decreed,  that  it 
shall  be  the  duty  of  the  clergy  to  teach  what  are  the  three  dis- 
crete degrees.'  [of  dignity  already  decreed  to  be — already 
recognized ! !]  and  what  are  the  special  duties  belonging  to 
each,  (d  d)    (See  Const,  of  the  Middle  Convention,  art.  11.) 


CONCERNING 

ECCLESIASTICAL  LEGISLATION. 

(Note  E. — Article  IV.) 

CHAPTER  I. 

That  ecclesiastical  statutes,  ordinances,  or  laws,  devised  and 
set  vp  by  man,  v>herever  spoken  of  in  the  Word,  whether 
nakedly  or  representatively,  are  there  declared  to  be  in 
direct  opposition  to  the  mind  and  will  of  Heaven. 

210.  From  the  things  adduced  in  relation  to  Ecclesiastical 
Legislation,  in  former  numbers,  (see  n.  166  to  185,)  it  may 
perhaps  appear  superfluous  to  enter  specifically  on  that  subject, 
or  even  to  adduce  any  thing  more  in  relation  to  it.  But,  it 
should  be  known,  that  when  falses,  comparatively,  like  a  masa 
of  adhesive  pitch,  are  to  be  removed,  it  is  not  sufficient  that 
they  be  made  loose  on  one  side  only  ;  they  must,  before  they 
can  be  removed,  be  melted  loose  on  every  side.  '  The  Word  of 
the  Lord  must  be  precept  upon  precept,  precept  upon  precept; 
line  upon  line,  line  upon  line ;  here  a  little  and  there  a  little,' 
before  men  will  become  *  weaned  from  the  milk,  and  separated 
from  the  breasts'  [o/  holy  mother  !"] — before  they  will  be  taught 
knowledge,  and  tnade  to  understand  doctrine;  and  especially, 
before  those  '  scornful  men''  '  who  have  made  a  covenant  with 
death,  and  with  hell  are  at  agreement' — '  who  have  made  lies 


(3d)  Gillespie  informs  us,  that  » in  A.  D.  843,'  (1000  j'cars  ago.)  'the 
epistles  of  Paul  were  read,  at  a  council,  to  give  instructions  concerning 
the  duties  of  subdeacona,  which  order  or  degree  of  dignity  iiail  for  a  long 
time  existed  in  the  churcli,  without  any  inquiry  from  I'aul,  in  relation  to 
their  duties,  and,  indeed,  concerning  the  duties  of  such  die;Ditarie«  thero 
is  not  a  ej  liable  iu  anj  of  Paul's  epistles.' 


Chap.  I.] 


Lucifer  on  the  Mount. 


359 


their  refuge,  and  under  falses  have  hid  themselves' — and  '  who 
rule  this  people,  which  is  of  [the  New]  Jerusalem' — will  '  fall 
backward— be  broken — be  snared  and  taken  !'  (Compare  with 
Isaiah,  xxviii.  9  to  15.) 

211.  Who  is  he  that  knows  not,  that  men  in  this  day,  na)', 
even  men  claiming  to  be  of  the  New  Church,  when  met  in  con- 
vention, absolutely  seem  to  know  no  other  than  that,  from  the 
simple  circumstance  of  their  being  convened  together,  they  have 
the  right  to  judicially  determine  the  things  of  faith,  and  thence 
also  to  establish  them  as  rules  of  order,  not  only  in  relation  to 
themselves,  but  also  in  relation  to  others  who  disclaim  such 
unhallowed  right,  and  the  assiHuption  of  such  despotic  power, 
and  who  thence  refuse  to  convene  together  with  tiiem  ? 

Who  is  he  that  knows  not,  that,  whether  assembled  in  coun- 
cil or  convention,  ecclesiastics  absolutely  refuse  to  take  any  note 
of  the  difference  between  framing  and  establishing  laws  of 
church  order,  and  simply  organizing  themselves  so  as  more 
effectually  to  obey  the  laws  of  church  order  laid  in  the  Word  ; 
and  which  difference  is  as  that  betwixt  heaven  and  hell?  Nay, 
ignorant  must  that  man  be,  who  knows  not,  that  the  clergy  of 
the  consummated  church,  having  become  seated,  with  great 
dignity,  in  the  General  Conference,  Synod,  or  Convocation, 
would  scorn  with  ineffable  contempt,  the  man  who  should  have 
the  hardihood  even  to  call  their  right  or  power  to  legislate  (that 
is,  to  enact  laws  of  church  order  and  to  authoritatively  establish 
them)  into  question.  Wherefore,  O  ye  scornful  men  who  affect 
to  rule  this  people,  which  are  in  Jerusalem,  by  means  of  the 
precepts  of  men,  hear  the  Word  of  the  Lord,  in  relation  to  your 
assumed  and  usurped  powers  !  Yea,  hear  ye  the  Word  of  the 
Lord,  and  repent !  And  first,  in  David,  (Ps,,  Ixxvi.  4.  8,  9,) 
'  Thine  enemies  roar  in  the  midst  of  thy  congregations,  they 
set  up  their  ensigns  for  signs  ;' — '  We  see  not  our  signs.'  This 
signifying,  that,  by  means  of  ratiocinations  in  conventions, 
^roarings,]  they  had  succeeded  in  setting  up  and  establishing 
their  testifications,  traditions,  laws  of  church  order,  etc.,  [en- 
signs,] for  testimonies,  [signs,]  so  that  the  truths  of  the  Word 
had  been  lost  sight  of,  [we  see  not  our  signs.]  Again,  in 
Isaiah,  (xiv.  13,)  '  Thou  [Lucifer]  hast  said  in  thy  heart,  I  will 
sit  in  the  mount  of  the  congregation,  I  will  be  like  the  Most 
High.'  This  signifying,  that  those  who  are  in  the  lust  of  ruling 
over  the  things  of  heaven,  [Lucifer,]  from  the  love  of  self, 
[heart,]  seize  upon  the  highest  degree  of  dignity  in  the  con- 
vention, [mount  of  it,]  and  thence,  after  the  example  of  the 
Most  High,  give  laws  to  the  church.  Again,  (xxii.  13,) 
*  Therefore,  saith  the  Lord,  forasmuch  as' — 'their  fealr  towards 


260 


Statutes  in  Opposition. 


[E.  Art.  4, 


me  is  taught  by  the  precepts  of  men,  therefore  the  wisdom  of 
their  wise  shall  perish.'  This  signifying,  that,  when  the  Lord 
is  looked  at  from  the  ecclesiastical  laws  of  men,  all  that  is  spir- 
itual, whether  of  goodness  or  truth,  perishes.  Again,  (xxxiii. 
21,)  'But  there  the  glorious  Lord  will  be  unto  us  a  place  of 
broad  rivers,  wherein  shall  go  no  galiey  with  oars.'  This  sig- 
nifying, that  eeclesias'iical  laws,  tiie  result  of  intelligence  from 
selfiiood,  should  not  be  that  from  which  the  church  should  take 
her  direction  in  relation  to  the  knowledge  of  the  truths  and 
goods  of  the  Word;  seeing  that  such  laws  are  represented  by 
the  oars  of  a  sliip,  by  which  she  is  forced  along  in  her  direc- 
tion by  the  rowers,  [self-derived  intelligence,]  independently  of 
the  spirit ;  [wind  ;]  for  no  galley  with  oars  was  to  be  permitted 
to  sail  therein.  But,  the  reason  why  no  ship  of  oars — that  is, 
why  no  ecclesiastical  laws  of  men's  devising,  was  to  have  place 
in  Zion,  namely,  the  New  Jerusalem,  is  nakedly  given  in  the 
uext  verse,  thus  :  '  For  the  Lord  is  our  judge,  tiie  Lord  is  our 
LAWGIVER' — that  is,  slatule-maker — '  the  Lord  is  our  king. 
He  will  save  us.'  Again,  (lix.  8,)  'They  have  made  them 
crooked  paths  ;  whosoever  goeih  therein  shall  not  know  peace.' 
This  signifying,  that  they  have  established  the  order  of  disorder 
in  the  shape  of  laws  of  church  order  ;  and,  that  whosoever  walks 
therein  sliall  not  know  what  Divine  order  is.  Again,  in  Jere- 
miah, (vii.  24,)  '  They  hearkened  not  nor  inclined  their  ear, 
but  walked  in  the  counsels  and  in  the  imagination  of  their 
wicked  heart.'  This  signifying,  that  they  walked  in  accordance 
with  ecclesiastical  laws  of  order,  devised  by  men,  in  whose 
hearts  the  monster  self-love  and  lust  of  dominion  prevailed. 
Again,  in  the  same  prophet,  (xxxii.  34,)  'They  have  set  their 
abominations  in  the  house  that  is  called  by  my  name,  to  defile 
it.'  This  signifying,  that  they  had  established  ecclesiastical 
laws  of  church  order  over  the  church,  the  Lamb's  wife  ;  and, 
that  by  looking  to  which  for  direction,  instead  of  to  the  Lord 
alone,  her  husband  and  head,  she  had  become  defiled.  Again, 
in  Ezekiel,  (xx.  18,)  '  I  said  to  their  children,  in  the  wilderness, 
walk  not  in  the  statutes  of  your  fathers,  neither  observe  their 
judgments.'  This  signifying,  that  the  church  now  should  not 
walk  .after,  nor  regard  the  ecclesiastical  statutes  of  the  clergy, 
nor  observe  the  best  judgments  of  men,  in  whom  the  monster 
self-love  and  lust  of  dominion  is  continually  rising  up.  Again, 
in  the  same  piophet,  (xliii.  0.)  'Let  them  put  away  the  car- 
casses of  their  kings,  and  I  [the  Lord]  will  dwell  in  the  midst 
of  them  forever.'  This  signifying,  that  the  ecclesiastical  statutes 
of  their  ancients  should  be  abandoned,  and  that  they  should 
t^Lezxe  to  the  statutes  and  judgments  of  the  Lord  alone,  in  oiiur 


Chap.  I.]        Setting  up  Images  and  Idols. 


261 


that  His  tabernacle  should  be  with  them,  and  that  He  should 
dwell  in  their  midst.  The  stinking  carcases  oi  £hub  and  Omri, 
which  Israel  adhered  to,  were  none  other  than  the  ecclesiastical 
statutes  that  these  kings  left  behind  them  ;  and  these  statutes 
were  the  carcases,  that  Israel  were  required  by  the  Word  of  the 
Lord  to  put  away.  Again,  in  Hosea,  (xiii.  2,)  '  They  add  sin 
to  sin,  in  making  to  themselves  molten  images  of  their  silver^ 
and  idols  according  to  their  own  understanding.'  This  signify- 
ing, thai  men  who  pervert  the  truths  of  the  Word,  [silver,]  by 
framing  thence  ecclesiastical  laws  and  establishing  them  authori- 
tatively, [idols,]  according  to  their  own  best  judgment,  in  whom, 
nevertheless,  the  monster  self-love  is  continually  raising  up,  do 
no  more  than  add  disorder  [sin]  to  the  order  of  disorder,  [sin.] 
Again,  same  place,  '  All  of  it  [the  making  of  images  and  idolsj 
the  work  of  craftsmen.'  This  signifying,  the  framing  and  es- 
tablishing of  ecclesiastical  statutes,  all  of  which  are  falses 
flowing  from  no  higher  source  than  from  the  self-derived  intelli- 
gence of  the  clergy.  Again,  same  place  ;  '  Let  the  men  that 
sacrifice  kiss  the  calves.'  This  signifying,  that  it  is  of  ilie  order 
of  disorder,  that  those  who  would  worship  the  Lord  [sacrifice] 
should  first  subscribe  or  conjoin  themselves  to  the  ecclesiastical 
statutes  of  men,  as  laid  in  their  creeds,  constitutions,  church 
disciplines,  etc.  Again,  in  Habakkuk,  (i.  7,)  '  Their  judgment 
and  dignity  proceedeth  from  themselves.'  This  signifying, 
I  that,  by  the  ecclesiastical  laws  which  the  clergy  have  esiablish- 
[1  ed,  or  caused  to  be  established,  all  judgment  in  theological  mat- 
ters is  given  to  themselves,  as  well  as  dignity,  whether  of  three 
or  seven  degrees  !  Whence  it  is  manifest,  that  their  judgment 
and  dignity  proceeds  from  themselves.  Again,  same  chr.pter; 
'  They  sacrifice  to  their  net,  and  burn  incense  to  their  drag  ; 
because  by  these  their  portion  is  made  fat  and  their  meat  plen- 
teous.' This  signifying,  that,  instead  of  looking  to  the  Lord 
and  worshipping  him,  the  clergy  look  to  their  church  discipline; 
and,  to  the  laws  of  church  order,  for  good  livings  and  fat  ben- 
ejices.  Again,  in  1  Samuel,  (ii.  29,)  '  Thou  Eli  honorest  thy 
sons  above  me,  to  make  yourselves  fat  wiiti  the  chiefest  of  all 
the  offerings  of  my  people.'  This  signifying,  that  those  priests 
who  honor  the  laws  of  church  order,  which  they  have  hatched 
out,  rather  than  those  laid  in  the  Word,  and  who  use  the  Word 
only  as  a  means  to  decoy  the  people  into  subserviency  to  their 
own  laws,  do  nothing  more  than  seek  their  own  exaltation  and 
honor  ;  [fat ;]  and,  that  of  the  laws  of  order  laid  in  the  Word, 
thus  of  the  Lord  himself  from  whom  they  flow,  only  so  far  as 
they  conceive  to  be  necessary  to  that  end.  Again,  in  Revela- 
tion, (xiii.  14,)  '  Saying  to  them  that  dwell  on  the  earth,  that 


268  Edicts,  Statutes,  etc.,  in  Opposition.     [E.  Art.  i, 

they  should  make  an  image  to  ihe  beast  which  had  the  wound 
by  a  sword,  and  did  live.'  This  signifying,  that  those  of  the 
clergy  who  are  principled  in  faith  alone  [understood  by  the 
beast]  would  thence  be  prompted  to  set  up  and  establish  the 
things  or  dogmas  of  such  faith,  by  means  of  ecclesiastical  ordi- 
nances, statutes,  or  laws,  [image,]  and  thence  to  cause  that  as 
many  as  would  not  subscribe  to  such  laws,  whether  as  laid  in 
the  Formula  Concordia,  in  the  Confessions  of  Faith,  or  in  Cate- 
chisms, should  be  rejected  [killed]  as  unfit  to  be  of  the  church. 
(See  Apoc.  Ex.,  13,  14,  15.)  Again,  in  Exodus,  (xx.)  'Thou 
shall  not  make  to  thee  any  graven  iniage,  or  the  likeness  of  any 
thing  that  is  in  heaven  above,  or  in  the  earth  beneath,  or  in  the 
waters  under  the  earth  ;  thou  shalt  not  bow  down  thyself  to 
them,  nor  serve  them — .'  This  signifying,  that  the  men  of  the 
church  are  prohibited  by  the  Word  from  making  to  themselves 
ecclesiastical  laws  of  churcii  order,  whether  conceived  to  be 
after  the  likeness  of  the  internal  sense  of  the  Word,  [heavea 
above,]  the  external  sense  of  the  Word,  [earth  beneath,]  or 
after  the  fashion  [likeness]  of  the  civil  institutions  of  the  merely 
external  kingdoms  of  this  worlds  [beneatli  the  eartli  ;]  and, 
that  they  are  prohibited  in  like  manner  from  yielding  obedience — 
from  being  guided  and  directed  by  such  laws  or  commandments 
of  men,  in  relation  to  the  tilings  of  heaven.  [Thou  shalt  not 
bow  down  thyself  to  them  nor  serve  them.]  Whence,  it  may 
be  seen,  that  many,  even  at  this  day,  are  makers  of  dumb  idols 
and  thence  are  idolaters,  who  appear  to  be  utterly  unconscious 
of  it!  But  again,  in  the  same  chapter,  (verse  25.)  'And  if 
thou  wilt  make  me  an  altar  of  stone,  thou  shalt  not  build  it  of 
hewn  stones  ;  for,  if  thou  lift  thy  tool  upon  it,  thou  hast  polluted 
it.'  This  signifying,  that  even  the  truths  of  the  letter  [stone] 
are  not  to  be  framed  together  by  the  device  of  men,  into  author- 
itative statutes  or  laws,  according  to  which  to  worship  the  Lord; 
and,  that  any  attempt  to  thus  frame  them  together,  is  only  to 
pervert  or  falsify  [pollute]  them.  Similar  things  are  signified 
by,  '  Ye  shall  not  make  with  me  gods  of  silver,  or  gods  of  gold 
(verse  23  ;) — silver  denoting  the  spiritual  truths  of  the  Word  ; 
and  gold,  tlie  good  thereof.  Again,  in  Matthew,  (xv.  9,)  'But, 
in  vain  do  they  worship  me,  teaching  for  doctrines  the  com- 
mandments of  men.'  This  signifying,  nakedly,  what  is  said  ; 
for,  who  is  he  that  knows  not,  that  the  doctrinals  or  dogmas  of 
faith,  which  the  clergy  have  caused  to  be  framed  and  est.iblished 
by  law,  and  to  which  obedience  is  required,  on  pain  of  being 
killed,  [rejected,]  are  thence  their  traditions  and  commandments  ? 
The  commandments  of  men,  or,  what  is  the  same  thing,  the 
precepls  of  men,  spoken  of  by  Isaiah,  (xxix.,)  or,  what  is  still 


Chap.  1.3        Writing  Grievoiisness — whaf. 


the  same  tking,  the  church  statutes  or  church  laws  and  ordi-- 
nances,  framed  by  the  priesthood,  evidently  constitute  that  tra- 
dition of  which  tlie  Lord  speaks  in  tlie  context,  (ver.  6,)  saying, 
*  Thus  have  ye  made  the  commandments  of  God  of  none  effect 
by  your  tradition.^  But  again,  in  Isaiah,  (x.  1,)  'Woe  to  them 
which  decree  unrighteous  decrees,  and,  that  write  the  grievous- 
iiess  which  they  have  prescribed.'  This  signifying,  woe  to 
ecclesiastics,  whether  in  council  or  convention,  or  elsewhere, 
that  prescribe  decrees,  statutes,  laws  or  ordinances  by  which  to 
govern  the  church  ;  and,  that  establish  by  law  [write]  the  de- 
crees, statutes,  etc.,  [the  grievousncss]  which  they  have  pre- 
eciibed. 

To  all  which  let  it  be  added,  that  the  same  doctrine  is  equally 
confirmed  and  corroborated  by  tlie  following  passages  :  Isaiah, 
viik  19,20;  xvii.  7  ;  xxviii.  19;  xxx.  1.23;  xliv.  7  ;  xlv.  16; 
1.  11;  Ixv.  2;  .Jeremiah,  vi.  19;  xiii.  10;  xiv.  22  ;  xvi.  12,' 
xvii.  5  to  8  ;  xviii.  12.  14,  15  ;  xxiii.  12.  16,  17,  18  ;  xxv.  34  ; 
1.  6 ;  Ezekiel,  xiii.  10  ;  xiv.  7  ;  xxxiv.  2  to  27  ;  Hosea,  vi.  12 ; 
vii.  16 ;  viii.  4.  6.  14  ;  x.  1.  13  ;  Amos,  vi.  26  ;  Micah,  iii.  5  ,-  * 
vi,  16  ;  vii.  2  to  5  ;  Habakkuk,  ii.  17,  20  ;  Zephaniah,  i.  16  ; 
ii#  11;  Haggai,  i.  2  ;  Zechariah,  viii.  17;  Malachi,  ii.  10; 
Exodus,  xxxii.  1  to  35;  xxxiii.  7  ;  Numbers,  xx.  10  ;  Deul., 
xvii.  15  to  20  ;  xxix.  19  ;  Joshua,  xxii.  15  to  34 ;  Judges,  viii. 
27  ;  vri.  19,  20  ;  xii.  6 ;  xvii.  3  ;  1  Samuel,  ii.  29  ;  v.  4  ;  xii. 
2  ;  xiii.  19  ;  xviii.  7  ;  2  Samuel,  viii.  1 ;  1  Kings,  vi.  7  :  xi.  7. 
I  8  J  xii.  10  to  33 ;  xx.  28  ;  2  Kings,  i.  3  ;  xvi.  10  to  15  ;  xvii. 
8.  15,  16.  22.  24.  29,  30.  32.  34.  41.  But  these,  with  all  the 
passages  previously  adduced,  are  but  as  a  few  cups  from  the 
ocean. 

212.  Thai;  the  apostles  held  the  commandments  of  merr,  that 
is,  church  statutes  and  disciplines,  as  .did  Moses  and  the  pro- 
phets, (as  iK)ticed  in  the  article  just  preceding,)  may  be  seen  by 
a  very  slight  reference  to  their  '  Acts^  and  Epistles.  Says  Paul 
to  the  Collossians,  (ii.  20.  22,  23,)  '  Why  as  though  living  in 
the  world  are  ye  subject  to  ordinances,  which  are  all  to  perish 
in  the  using  after  the  doctrines  and  commandments  of  men  ?' 
Which  things,  he  alleges,  although  they  may  have  a  show  of 
wisdom  in  promoting  worship  according  to  the  will  of  man,  and 
thence  an  external  sanctity,  [humility,]  yet,  that  they  only  tend 
to  the  dominion  of  selfhood,  [gratifying  the  flesh,]  and  to  the 
neglecting  [not  sparing]  and  affliction  of  the  church,  [body,] 
without  producing  any  good,  [honor.]  Again,  there  were  some 
in  the  primitive  church,  who  thought  that  the  christians  should 
be  commanded,  by  means  of  a  conventional  decree,  statute,  or 
law,  to  be  circumcised  and  keep  the  law  of  Moses ;  but,  in 


264         Ecclesiastical  Slatutes  in  Opposition.     [E.  Art.  4, 


answer  to  those  who  thus  groaned  after  ecclesiastical  law,  Peter 
arose,  and,  amongst  other  memorable  things,  exclaimed,  '  Now 
therefore  why  tempt  ye  God,  to  put  a  yoke  upon  the  neck  of 
the  disciples,  which  neither  onr  fathers  nor  we  were  able  to 
bear!  (See  Acts,  xv.)  Again,  in  speaking  of  those  who  had 
been  redeemed  by  the  precious  blood  of  Christ,  [the  Divine 
truths  of  the  Word,]  from  the  tradition  of  their  fathers,  he 
adds,  '  Being  born  again,  not  of  corruptible  seed,  [the  command- 
ments, statuies,  laws,  etc.,  of  men,]  but  of  incorruptible,  by  the 
Word  of  God,  which  livelh  and  abideth  for  ever.'  '  For  all 
flesh  is  grass,  and  all  the  glory  of  man  [his  inventions  predicated 
of  the  church]  as  the  flower  of  grass.'  (1  Peter,  i.  23,  24.) 
Again,  '  We  have  not  followed  cunningly  devised  fables,  when 
we  made  known  unlo  you  the  power  and  coming  of  the  Lord, 
but  were  eye-witnesses  of  his  majesty.'  (2  Peter,  i.  16.) 
Again,  in  1  John,  (ii.  27,)  'The  anointing  which  ye  have  re- 
ceived of  him  abideth  in  you  ;  and  ye  need  not  that  any  man 
teach  you  ;  [by  authoritative  rules  of  order;]  but,  as  the  same 
•anointing  leacheth  you  of  all  things,  and  is  the  truth  and  no  lie, 
and  even  as  it  hath  taught  you,  ye  shall  abide  in  it.'  (See  also 
John,  i.  13,  compared  with  1  Peter,  i.  23,  as  above.)  Again, 
in  James,  (iv.  11,  12,)  'Speak  not  evil  one  of  another.'  This 
signifying,  that  the  men  of  the  church  should  never  prescribe, 
much  less  establish  [write]  decrees,  statutes  or  standing  rules 
over  the  church  ;  each  and  all  of  which,  is  to  speak  evil  of, 
and  hate  our  brethren — to  constitute  them  heretics  on  the  one 
hand,  or  hypocrites  on  the  other!  Nay,  that  this  is  what  we 
are  to  understand  by  speaking  evil,  is  plain  from  this,  that  the 
apostle  adds,  'He  ihat  speaketh  evil  of  his  brother  and  judgeth 
his  brother,  speaketh  evil  of  the  law  and  judgeth  the  law  ;  but, 
if  thou  judge  the  law,  thou  art  not  a  doer  of  the  law,  but  a  judge  ! 

Is  it  not  evident,  that,  by  the  sentiment,  '  He  that  speaks  evil 
of  his  brother,  and  thence  judges  him,  speaks  evil  of  the  law 
and  thence  judges  it,'  we  are  to  understand,  that  they  who  in 
council,  convention,  conference,  oi  synod,  frame  and  establish 
churcii  disciplines,  statutes,  laws,  rules,  etc.,  and  thence  judge 
the  men  of  the  church,  do  nothing  less  than  constitute  their  law 
paramount  to  the  law  of  Christ,  under  which  the  men  of  the 
church  originally  arc,  and,  consequently,  speak  evil  of  it,  and 
thence  judge  of  it,  equally  as  of  those  who  are  under  it !  Nay, 
does  it  not  farther  follow,  that  such  lawgivers,  like  Lucifer  on 
the  mount  of  the  convention,  constitute  themselves,  not  the 
doers  of  the  law  of  the  Most  High,  but,  like  Lucifer  who  said 
he  would  be  like  the  Most  High,  the  arrogant  judges  thereof. 
That  such  is  the  apostle's  meaning,  is  manifest  from  what  im« 


Chap.  I.]        The  Testimony  of  the  Fathers. 


265 


mediately  follows,  namely :  *  There  is  one  lawgiver,  who  is 
able  to  save  and  to  destroy :  who  art  thon,  that  judgest  another.' 
This  evidently  signifying,  that,  as  there  is  one  lawgiver,  who,53 
laws  are  to  judge  us  all  at  the  last  day,  what  then  is  man,  that 
he  should  presume  to  go  about,  whether  in  council  or  conven- 
tion, to  frame  and  set  up  laws  of  church  order,  by  which  to 
speak  evil  against  the  brethren  and  saints  of  the  Most  High, 
and  thence  to  judge  them? 

213.  Having  heard  the  testimony  of  both  prophets  and  apos- 
tles, in  relation  to  ecclesiastical  legislation,  a  few  other  testimo- 
nies from  the  ancient  writers  in  the  Christian  Church,  in  relation 
to  the  same  subject,  will  here  perhaps  be  acceptable  ;  as  in  the 
following  articles : 

1.  Jerome  :  '  The  church  of  Christ  includes  churches  in  all 
the  world,  and  contains  within  it  the  cities  of  the  law,  of  the 
prophets,  and  of  the  gospel.  She  has  not  departed  from  her 
boundaties — that  is,  the  Word.'    (Tom.  5,  p.  334.) 

2.  Jerome  again:  'Let  the  people,  who  are  asleep  under 
their  masters,  arise  and  hasten  to  the  mountains  of  the  Scrip- 
tures ;  and,  altfiough  they  find  none  to  teach  them,  still  their 
understanding  of  the  Scriptures  shall  be  approved,  because  they 
have  fled  to  the  mountains  ;  and  have  reproved  the  indolence  of 
their  masters.'    (Tom.  5,  p.  415.) 

3.  Again  :  '  The  Word  of  God  smiteth  the  other  things  which 
men  spontaneously  discover  and  feign,  as  it  were  by  an  apos- 
tolical authority,  which  are  without  authority  from  the  Word.' 
(Tom.  5,  p.  506.) 

4.  Again  :  '  The  Lord  will  speak  in  the  Scriptures  of  the 
people  ;  which  are  read  with  the  intent,  that  not  a  few,  but  that 
all  may  understand  it.  The  princes  of  the  church  (the  apostles 
who  were  eye-wifnesses  of  the  Lord's  majesty)  did  not  write  to 
a  few,  but  to  the  whole  people ;  so,  that,  with  the  exception  of 
the  things  set  forth  by  the  apostles,  whatever  should  afterwards 
be  said  or  written  should  be  cut  off  as  uncanonical.'  (Tom.  7, 
p.  259.) 

5.  Augustine  :  '  The  city  of  God  detests  doubts,  as  the  mad- 
ness of  the  Academicians  :  for,  she  believes  the  sacred  Scrip- 
tures, by  means  of  which  we  walk  without  wavering.'  (V'ol.  7, 
chap.  18.) 

6.  Augustine  again:  'The  canonical  Scriptures  are  con- 
tained within  certain  limits,  and  are  to  be  preferred  to  all  the 
subsequent  writings  of  bishops  ; — so,  that  no  doubts  or  disputes 
can  arise  respecting  things  written  whether  they  be  true  and 
light.'    (Vol.  9,  chap.  3.) 

23 


266  Statutes,  Edicts,  etc.,  in  Opposition.    [E.  Art.  4, 


7.  Again :  '  In  things  openly  set  forth  in  the  Scriptures, 
those  things  are  to  be  found  which  comprise  faith  and  moral 
conduct.'    (Vol.  3,  chap.  9.) 

8.  Again :  '  There  are  undoubtedly  books  of  the  Lord  whose 
authority  both  of  us  acknowledge,  and  which  we  mutually  be- 
lieve and  obey.  Here  let  us  seek  the  church  ;  here  let  us  dis- 
cuss our  doctrines,'  etc.  '  I  will  not  have  the  holy  church 
proved  [or  judged]  by  human  documents,  but  by  divine  oracles.' 
(Tom.  9,  p.  341.) 

9.  Again :  '  Read  these  things  (which  you  claim  to  be  essen- 
tial) to  us  from  the  law,  the  prophets,  the  psalms,  and  the  gos- 
pels ;  read,  and  we  will  believe.'    (lb.,  cap.  6.) 

10.  Again :  '  Against  treacherous  errors  God  places  our 
strength  in  the  Word  ;  against  which,  none,  that  would  any 
way  seem  to  be  a  Christian,  dares  to  speak.'  '  It  is  the  will  of 
Christ,  that  his  disciples  should  be  confirmed  and  strengthened 
by  the  testimony  of  the  law  and  prophets.  These  are  the  rules 
of  our  cause;  [the  church;]  these  are  the  foundations  ;  these  are 
the  confirmations.'   (On  Psalm  Ixix.,  and  Bishop  Hall,  p.  592.) 

11.  Again:  » John  testifies,  that  Christ  said  and  did  many 
things  that  are  not  written.  But  those  things  were  selected  to 
he  written  which  were  fully  sufficient  for  the  salvation  of  be- 
lievers:   (Vol.  3,  p.  619.) 

12.  Chrysostom  :  '  Ignorance  of  the  Scriptures  is  the  cause 
of  all  evils.  To  be  conversant  with  the  Word  is  a  powerful 
defence  against  sin  ;  but  ignorance  of  the  Scriptures  is  a  deep 
precipice,  a  dark  and  profound  gulf!  It  gives  birth  to  heresies  ! 
And  it  gives  rise  to  the  corruption  of  all  morals.'  (Third  Ser- 
mon on  Lazarus.) 

13.  Athanasius  :  'If  ye  are  disciples  of  the  gospel,  then 
■walk  in  the  things  therein  written.  But,  if  you  will  speak  any 
thing  besides  that  which  is  written,  why  do  you  contend  against 
us,  who  are  determined  neither  to  hear  nor  speak  any  thing 
but  that  which  is  written  1  The  Lord  himself  says,  if  ye  con- 
tinue in  my  Word,  then  are  ye  truly  free  !'  '  For  the  holy  and 
divinely  inspired  Scriptures  are  of  themselves  sufficient  for  the 
discovery  of  the  truth.'  (3e)    (On  the  Incarnation  of  Christ.) 

14.  Tertullian  :  '  I  adore  the  plenitude  of  the  Scriptures.' 
'  Let  this  man  [Hermogenes]  show  that  it  [the  sentiment  con- 
tended for]  is  in  the  Scriptures  ;  if  not  in  the  Scriptures,  let 
him  fear  the  curse  directed  against  those  who  add  or  diminish.' 
(Advers.  Hermog.,  p.  241.) 

(3c)  A  man  may  as  it  were  interrogate  the  Lord  in  matters  of  faith, 
[truth,]  and  receive  answers  from  him,  but  not  elsewhere  than  in  the 
Word ;  for,  the  Lord  is  the  Word.    (Apoc,  Exp.,  1088.) 


Chap.  I.]       The  Testimony  of  the  Fathers. 


267 


15.  Gregory:  'In  this  holy  volume  [the  Bible]  are  written 
down  all  that  can  instruct  us.'    (Horn.  9,  on  Ezek.) 

16.  Basil:  'It  is  right  and  necessary  that  every  one  should 
learn  that  which  is  useful  from  the  holy  Scriptures  ;  both  for 
the  purpose  of  furnishing  the  mind  with  greater  piety  and  also 
that  they  may  not  be  accustomed  to  human  traditions^'  (Tom. 
2,  p.  449.) 

17.  Belarmine  :  ♦  He  who  refuses  to  receive  the  sacred 
Scriptures  as  the  most  certain  rule  of  faith  is  the  most  consum- 
mate of  fools — stultissimuni.'  Their  supreme  authority  has 
been  consented  to  and  admitted  by  all  nations  for  many  ages  ; 
and,  that  they  are  certain,  and  most  true,  is  known  from  their 
containing  no  human  inventions,  but,  [[contrariwise,]  the  Di- 
vine oracles.'    (Lib.  I.,  c.  2.) 

18.  Hillary:  '  Do  you  seek  the  faith,  O  emperor!  Hear 
it  then — not  from  new  writings,  but  from  the  books  of  God.' 
*  Let  us  read  the  things  that  are  written,  and  let  us  understand 
what  we  read;  and  we  shall  then  fully  discharge  a  perfect  faith. 
(Lib.  8.) 

19.  Ambrose  :  *  How  can  we  adopt  those  things  which  we 
do  not  find  in  the  sacred  Scriptures  V  ♦  I  read,  that  He  is  first, 
I  do  not  read  He  is  second  ;  let  those  who  say  that  He  is  sec- 
and  teach  it  by  reading.    (Lib.  1.) 

20.  Cyril,  of  Alexandria :  •  We  cannot  receive  and  reckon 
among  the  things  of  our  faith,  that  which  the  Divine  Scripture 
hath  not  spoken.'    (Lib.  2.) 

21.  Cyril,  of  Jerusalem  :  '  Not  even  the  least  of  the  Divine 
and  holy  mysteries  of  faith  ought  to  be  handed  down  without 
the  Divine  Scriptures.'  '  Do  not  give  faith  to  me  speaking 
these  things  to  you,  except  you  have  the  proof  of  what  I  say 
from  the  Scriptures.  For,  the  security  and  preservation  of  our 
faith  are  not  supported  by  ingenuity  of  speech,  but  by  the  proof 
of  the  Divine  Scriptures.'    (Page  56.) 

22.  Origen  :  '  As  gold  without  the  temple  is  not  holy,  so 
every  sense  (or  sentiment)  which  is  without  the  Divine  Scrip- 
ture, however  admirable  it  may  appear  to  some,  is  not  holy 
because  foreign  to  the  Scripture.'  ♦  How  imminent  then  is  their 
danger,  who  neglect  to  study  the  Scriptures,  by  which  alone 
the  discernment  of  this  can  be  ascertained.'    (Lib.  10,  c.  16.) 

23.  Basil  again  :  '  It  is  a  falling  from  the  faith  and  a  crime 
of  the  greatest  pride,  to  even  desire  to  take  away  from  the 
Scriptures,  or  to  introduce  any  thing  not  written.  For,  Christ 
says,  that  his  sheep  hear  his  voice,  [his  Word,]  and  not  the 
voice  of  strangers,  [new  words  or  new  writings  involving  au- 
thoritative doctrinals  of  faith.'    (Ser.  on  Faith,  p.  294.) 


268         JEdicts,  Tradition,  etc.,  in  Opposition.  [E.Art.4, 


24.  Chrysostom  again  :  '  He  [the  Lord]  did  not  say  read, 
but  search  ye  the  Scriptures  ;  since  the  things  said  of  him  re- 
quire much  research.  For  this  reason  he  commands  them  to 
dig  with  diligence,  that  they  may  discover  the  things  that  lie 
(Jeep.'    (C.  5,  Homily  40.) 

25.  Again:  '  He  therefore,  who  does  not  use  the  Scriptures, 
but  enlereth  by  some  other  way,  (namely,  by  tradition  and  the 
commandments  of  men,)  cutting  out  for  himself  a  way  contrary 
to  the  prescribed  way, — he  is  the  thief  and  the  robber.^  (De 
Lazar.) 

To  these  testimonies,  all  promulgated  before  the  dose  of  the 
fifth  century,  may  be  added  that  of  Luther,  more  than  a  thou- 
sand years  afterwards  ;  namely  : 

26.  '  Certum  est  in  manu  ecclesia,  et  papse,prorsus  nan  esse 
statuere  articulas  fidei,  iino  nec  legis  mortnn  seu,  bonorum 
operum.'  That  is,  '  It  is  certain,  that  it  is  not  in  the  power  of 
the  church,  or  of  the  pope,  to  constitute  or  determine  articles  of 
faith,  nor  even  laws  of  morals,  or  good  works.' 

But,  because  the  constituting  or  determining  of  images  and 
relics  of  saints  to  be  objects  of  worship  and  adoration,  equally 
with  the  Lord  himself,  makes  one  with  the  constituting  or  de- 
termining laws  or  statutes  of  church  order  devised  by  men, 
equally  authoritative  with  the  Word  itself,  therefore  it  is,  that 
the  testimony  of  a  few  of  the  fathers  will  be  adduced  in  the 
following  additional  articles  against  such  laws  or  statutes  having 
assumed  that  idolatrous  form. 

27.  TuEODORET  :  '  Send  up  thankgiving  to  God  the  Father 
through  Christ,  [the  Humanity,]  and  not  through  angels.'  (On 
Colos.,  3d  chap.) 

28.  Gregorv  Nyssan  :  '  The  Word  of  God  has  ordained, 
that  none  of  those  things  which  have  their  being  by  creation 
shall  be  worshipped.  The  law,  the  prophets,  the  gospel,  the 
decrees  of  the  apostles,  equally  forbid  our  looking  to  the  crea- 
ture.'   (Tom.  2,  p.  144.) 

29.  Epiphanius,  of  A.  D.  336:  '  Neither  is  Elias  nor  John, 
were  they  alive,  to  be  worshipped  and  prayed  to.  For,  that 
ancient  error  shall  not  prevail  over  us,  of  forsaking  the  living 
God  and  worshipping  creatures.'    (No.  79,  p.  448.) 

30.  Chrysostom  :  With  God  there  is  no  need  of  intercessors 
for  the  petitioners  ;  for.  He  is  not  so  ready  to  give  a  gracious 
answer  wiien  entreated  by  others,  as  by  ourselves  praying  to 
Him.  The  woman  of  Canaan  entreats  not  James,  nor  John, 
nor  even  Peter;  she  breaks  through  the  whole  company  of 
them,  taking  repentance  as  her  spokes-woman,  and  saying,  'I 
will  go  at  once  to  the  fountain  itself.' '    (Disc,  on  Matt,  xv.) 


Chap,  v.]    Antichrist  a  Beggar's  Baby — ivhcre.  329 


they  might  live  without  established  laws  in  the  church,  (mean- 
ing ecflesiasiical  laws,)  but  that  the  inquiry  ought  rather  to  be 
concerning  that  management  and  order  best  adapted  to  retain 
themselves  in  their  ojfice  !  (See  note  3  q.)  Whence,  it  follows 
inevitably,  that  he  wlio  approves  and  sanctions  the  principle  in 
question  does  nothing  less  than  approve  of  the  usurpation  of  the 
clergy,  as  so  many  earthly  sovereigns  and  lords  over  God's 
heritage,  actuated  by  the  love  of  self  and  the  lust  of  dominion, 
rising  up  continually  within  litem,  and  clutching  at  all  they 
can  reach!  "  Such  sycophantic  clerical  tools,  it  would  appear, 
would  have  the  world  to  believe,  that  the  Lord,  the  God  of  the 
7ohole  earth,  had  indeed  becoiiie  deceased!  and  that  the  clergy 
had  been  tsiade  and  constituted  the  executors  of  his  last  ivili  and 
testament^  and  thence,  that  their  duties,  ia  relation  to  the 
Word  and  every  thing  concerning  the  church,  are  purely  execu- 
tive !    (See  Pre.  p.  138,  v.  3,  col.  2.) 

236.  To  know  the  annals  of  the  church,  is  to  know,  tliat  at 
Rome,  where  the  clergy  are  acknowledged  as  lords  and  sove- 
reigns, thus  as  the  lawgivers  of  the  church.  Antichrist  is  of  age 
and  wears  a  crown!  and,  that  wherever  the  first  degree  of  dig- 
nifieation  is  asked  or  contended  for  in  the  church,  there  is  Anti- 
christ a  beggar's  baby  at  the  breast !  But,  should  not  all  know, 
that  liberty  and  rationality  in  man  is  God's  throne  ;  and,  that  he 
who  asks  for  a  degree  of  lordship  or  sovereignty  whence  that 
is  muat/cf/,  is  Antichrist  any  where?  Nay,  farther,  that  it  is 
the  peculiar  work  of  the  spirit  of  Antichrist  to  derange  the 
equality  of  Christians,  by  setting  them  (like  the  lords  of  the 
gentiles,)  to  striving  who  shall  be  greatest,  and  that  Christ  can 
never  be  the  head  of  (hat  body  which  thus  strives,  much  less  of 
that  which  is  actually  ted  and  governed  by  one  of  its  own  mem- 
bers, instead  of  himself,  the  true  bend,  king,  and  governor  in 
his  church  and  kingdom, 

237.  Must  we  yet  go  and  tell  it  to  the  church,  that  he  who 
approves  of  the  setting  up  of  sovereigns  to  make  and  frame  laws 
of  order  for  the  church,  with  power  and  influence  to  attach 
ideas  of  guilt  to  the  breach  of  their  laws,  does  nothing  less 
than  approve  of  the  kindling  of  an  unquenchable  tire,  in 
which  to  burn  up  the  wheat,  and  at  the  same  time  of  tha 
framing  of  garners  into  which  to  carefully  gather  all  the 
chaff?  Or,  what  is  virtually  the  same  thing,  that  such  man 
docs  nothing  less  than  approve  of  the  laying  of  snares,  and  the 
setting  of  traps,  in  which  to  catch  all  honest  men  who  adhere  to 
the  law  of  the  Lord,  so  as  to  excommunicate  them  all  to  Satan; 
and,  at  the  same  time,  of  framing  and  building  up  synagogues 
throughout  the  land  for  hypocrites  and  unbelievers  ! 

28* 


330    iCeeping  in  motion  the  balance  wheel  of  heaven.  [E.Art.4. 


238.  Blinded  by  the  love  of  self  and  lust  of  dominion,  the 
clergy,  even  of  the  present  age,  insanely  seek  to  be  clothed 
with  earllily  authority,  with  degrees  of  dignification,  and  with 
priestly  robes,  cut  out  and  fashioned  in  the  shops  of  Italy  ;  so 
that  thus  gloriously  arrayed,  like  Herod,  (Acts  xii.  23)  they 
might  exhibit  their  leaven,  speech  or  doctrine,  in  the  form  of 
laws  to  the  church, — so  that  (corresponding  with  the  case  of 
Herod)  the  people  might  shout  aloud,  saying,  they  are  not  the 
laws  of  men-,  but  the  laws  of  God ;  and  all  this  to  the  end — as 
in  the  case  of  the  oration  of  Herod — not  that  God  might  have 
all  the  honor  and  glory,  but,  that  they  themselves  might  be 
firmly  established,  as  the  lords  and  sovereigns  over  God's  lierit- 
age,  and  thence,  that  the  glory  might  be  all  their  own.  Not 
only  so,  but,  what  is  certainly  very  remarkable,  is  thai  the 
clergy,  from  the  same  cause,  (llie  lore  of  self  and  lust  of  do- 
minion,) become  blinded  to  such  degree,  that  they  insanely 
suppose  that  their  ecclesiastical  enactments  of  laws  for  the 
church, — their  sovereignty  over  her,  along  with  all  their  degrees 
of  dignification,  splendor,  and  glory,  are  acceplabie  to  the 
Lord  ! — nay,  that  the  Lord  even  requires  such  things  at  their 
hands,  as  if  they  were  essential  to  the  existence  of  his  church 
and  kingdom  in  the  world  !  Whereunto  then  shall  we  liken 
the  clergy  ;  and  with  what  comparison  shall  we  compare  them  ? 
Verily,  my  friends,  they  might  justly  be  compared  to  the  lunatic, 
who  gravely  asserted,  that  he  kept  in  motion  the  balance  wheel 
of  heaven,  and  that  were  it  not  for  him,  the  world  would  all 
stand  still. 

239.  Look,  my  friend,  at  the  annals  of  the  church,  and  it 
will  be  strange  if  you  should  fail  to  find,  that  the  question 
with  the  clergy  has  seldom  been,  '  ffhat  has  God  spoken '^^ 
^  what  is  his  word?'  But  contrariwise,  that  it  is  rather  con- 
cerning things  adapted  to  the  spiritual  subjugation  of  the 
laity,  and  the  plenitude  of  their  own  sovereignty  over  all — con- 
cerning how  they  shall  best  succeed  in  taking  the  Word  under 
their  own  special  care  and  protection,  (see  note  4  b,  fifthly,)  and 
thence  avail  themselves  of  all  the  aid  it  may  afford  them,  by 
being  gracefully  bent  to  favor  their  own  ambitious  views;  and 
(in  case  it  should  condi'mn  them)  concerning  how  they  may 
best  succeed  in  putting  it  on  the  rack  of  predestination,  pre- 
eminence, or  sovereignty  (as  the  ease  may  be,)  and  thence  in 
toituring  it  into  an  utterance  of  something  that  will  suit  their 
purpose  ;  nay,  or  something  that  may  go,  not  only  to  establish 
their  own  supremacy,  but  also  to  authorize  them  to  appoint 
their  own  devoted  successors, — by  doling  out  a  portion  of  the 


Cliap.  v.]     Thinking  and  Believing  by  Proxij. 


331 


spirit  to  each — as  though  the  residue  of  the  spirit  rvas  with 
</tem,  and  the  divine  influx  thereof  from  lliem  !   (See  Alal.  ii.  15.) 

240.  Look  at  the  annals  of  the  church,  and  you  will  hardly 
fail  to  see,  that,  in  whatever  country  the  clergy  have  been 
establislied,  agreeably  to  their  own  ambitious  views,  there, 
not  only  spiritual  liberty  has  ceased,  but  civil  liberty  also. 
If,  in  such  case,  civil  liberty  remains,  it  remains  only  as  a 
dead  shell — a  dead  form  :  especially  seeing,  that  the  essence 
of  all  liberty  is  with  spiritual  liberty,  and  of  necessity  takes 
its  flight  with  it!  But,  that  the  truth  of  this  may  be  seen,  as 
if  written  by  a  sun-beam  of  heaven,  it  is  only  necessary  to  con- 
trast the  Mexican  and  Southern  priest-ridden  republics  with 
our  own.  Who,  then,  cannot  see,  that  a  system  of  religion 
which  invests  its  clergy  with  power  to  dictate  the  things  of 
faith  authoritatively  is  a  false  system — a  false  religion,  and 
carries  not  only  the  mark  of  the  beast,  but  also  of  Roman- 
ism and  Paganism  on  its  forehead  and  in  its  right  hand  ? 

241.  Is  it  not  almost  self-evident. that  tradition  and  prejudice 
is  the  soul  of  all  the  religion  of  those  who  look  to  earthly  lords 
and  lawgivers,  for  the  things  of  faiih,  and  the  institutions  of  the 
church  ;  and  who  thence,  of  necessity,  exercise  their  souls  by 
proxy — think  by  proxy,  and  believe  by  proxy  ?  Where  then 
is  the  man,  who  dare  sanction  or  approve  tiie  principle  in  'ques- 
tion, namely,  that  man  may  determine  faith  and  order  for  the 
church  ?  Did  not  the  Lord  put  his  disciples  on  an  equality  for 
ever,  in  relation  to  any  thing  savoring  of  earthly  authority, 
by  teaching  them  that  the  authority  amongst  them,  was  to  be 
the  opposite  or  negative  of  that  exercised  by  the  lords  of  the 
gentiles,  and  great  men  of  the  earih. 

242.  But,  if  the  clergy  lay  more  stress  upon  the  necessity  of 
standing  upon  the  planes  or  platforms  which  they  have  framed 
for  all  to  stand  upon,  than  of  standing  upon  the  Rock  of  Ages ; — 
if,  from  the  lust  of  dominion,  they  may  lay  more  stress  upon 
the  necessity  of  diinking  the  corruptand  stagnant  waters  of  their 
cisterns,  which  they  have  hewn  out,  or,  of  the  waters  which 
they  have  fouled  with  their  feet,  than  of  the  pure  river  of  the 
water  of  life  ; — or,  what  is  still  the  same  thing,  if  the  clergy, 
from  the  lust  of  ruling,  lay  mere  stress  upon  the  necessity  of 
obedience  to  their  laws  of  order  and  ceremonious  observances 
than  upon  obedience  to  the  law  of  God  itself,  then  the  impor- 
tant question  arises,  why  do  not  the  people  withdraw  their 
support  from  the  clergy,  so  as  to  let  them  fall  backwards  into 
that  slate  of  nothingness  from  which  they  originally  sprung? 
Nevertheless,  to  which  it  is  given  to  answer,  that,  because 
the  people  find  it  to  be  more  in  agreement  with  their  external 


332 


Approving  of  Earthly  Lords.         [E.  Art.  4. 


state,  to  follow  external  ceremonies  and  observances,  tlian  to 
excel  in  a  life  of  self-denial,  holiness,  and  true  pieiy,  therefore 
they  LOVE  to  have  it  so  ; — namely,  that  men  may  determine 
faith  and  laws  of  oider  for  the  church  ;  and,  in  agreement  with 
which,  is  the  words  of  Jeremiah  thus,  "  The  prophets  prophecy 
falsely,  and  the  priests  hear  rule  by  their  means  ;  and  my  peo- 
ple love  to  have  it  so  ;" — that  is,  they  sanction  the  principle 
(5,  31.) 

243.  ^\  ho  knows  not,  that,  to  promote  the  ambitious 
schemes  of  the  clergy,  it  is  quite  expedient  that  unmeaning 
things,  yea,  and  things  contradictory  to  common  sense  and  true 
Christianity,  should  be  surrounded  with  awe,  and  imposed 
by  a  sanctimonious  and  ghostly  authority  on  liie  siuliitied 
senses  of  the  laity  ?  But,  nevertheless,  who  is  he  that  suffici- 
ently knows,  that  all  religious  regulations  are  only  auxiliary 
means  of  leading  men  to  a  good  life,  and,  consequently,  that  it 
is  pitiful  and  absurd  to  suppose,  that  the  performance  of  un- 
meaning ceremonies  is  ren<lering  divine  service  ;  or,  indeed,  any 
other  species  of  service  to  God  ?  The  Shastra  teaches,  that 
"no  perishable  means  can  eflect  the  acquisition  of  an  imperish- 
able end."' 

244.  From  the  approval  of  the  principle  in  question,  namely, 
that  men  may  determine  faith  and  laws  of  order  fur  the  church, 
it  has  resulted,  that  instead  of  good  works — the  works  of  mercy 
and  truth — we  have  such  things  as  holy  day  keeping — Friday 
fassts — band  meetings — c/ass  meetings — stenlorophonic  swell- 
ings of  vanity,  called  sermons,  to  amazement  rather  than  edili- 
cation — water  baptism,  independently  of  what  it  represents, 
to  strangling  and  sutlbcation — feet  washing,  independently  of 
any  thing  meant  or  intended  by  it,  to  the  sealing  up  of  tlie  un- 
derstanding in  midnight  darkness — liymn  singing,  independ- 
ently of  sense  oi  uiiderslanding,  to  the  ravings  of  insanity — and 
finally,  long  prayers,  indepeniieiUly  of  the  Lord's  direction  on 
that  subject,  to  the  utmost  extent  of  pharisaical  hypocrisy!  It 
seems  to  be  forgotten  in  these  days,  that  it  is  only  him,  that 
does  justice,  loves  mercy,  walks  humbly  with  his  God,  trembles 
at  his  fi  ord  and  does  it — that  the  liOrd  will  bless  with  his  pre- 
sence and  thence  with  heaven  ; — that  tlie  Lord  preferred  the 
son  that  apparently  refused  to  obey  his  father,  and  yet  obeyed 
him,  to  the  son  tliat  professed  his  readiness,  but  yet  neglected 
the  work  ;  and,  that  tiie  Lord  preferred  the  heretical,  but  chari- 
table Samaritan,  to  the  uncharitable,  though  orthodox  priest 
and  sanctimonious  Levile  ! 

245.  'i'oknow  the  annals  of  the  church,  is  akc  to  know  that 


Chap.  II.] 


The  Generation  of  Giants. 


273 


wives  of  all  which  they  chose  ;'— that,  therefore,  '  the  Lord 
said,  niy  spirit  shall  not  always  strive  with  man  ;' — that  '  there 
were  giants  in  the  earth  [church]  in  those  days,'  inasmuch,  as 
that  '  when  the  sons  of  God  came  in  to  the  daughters  of  men, 
and  they  bare  children  to  them,  the  same  became  mighty  and 
e-xalled  men — old  men  of  renown  ;' — that  » the  Lord  said,  I  will 
destroy  man  whom  I  have  created  from  off  the  face  of  the 
earth  ;' — and  finally,  that  '  all,  in  whose  nostrils  was  the  breath 
of  life,  of  all  ihat  was  in  the  dry  land  died.'  So,  that  '  Noah 
only  remained  alive,  and  they  that  were  in  the  ark  with  him.' 
(See  Genesis,  iii.  6;  vi.  2,  3,  4,  5,  7  ;  and  vii.  22,  23.)  From 
the  genuine  sense  of  all  which,  it  becomes  manifest,  tliat  the 
conjunction  of  Divine  truths  [sons  of  God]  with  evil  affections 
[daughters  of  men]  resulted  in  nothing  less  direful,  than  in  the 
generating  of  enormous  falses,  [giants,]  and  thence  in  the 
universal  inundation  and  destruction  of  that  church  by  a 
flood  of  falses,  [waters.] 

219.  Concerning  the  Ancient  Church,  we  are  taught,  that 
the  beginning  of  the  kingdom  of  Nimrod,  the  mighty  hunter, 
[they  who  mightily  persuade,]  the  descendant  of  Ham,  [they 
who  are  in  faith  separate  from  charity,]  was  Babel,  Erech, 
Accad  and  Calneh  in  the  land  of  Shinar. 

But,  specially,  as  touching  the  building  of  Babel,  we  are 
taught,  that,  when  the  men  of  the  Ancient  Church  (herelofore 
of  one  lip)  had  'journeyed  from  the  East,  [departed  from  the 
Lord,]  they  came  to  the  land  of  Shinar  and  dwelt  there  ;'  that, 
being  assembled  in  council  or  convention,  '  they  said  one  to 
another,  go  to,  let  us  make  brick,  and  burn  them  with  a  burn- 
ing,' and,  taking  '  brick  for  stone  and  slime  for  clay,  let  us  build 
US  a  city  and  a  tower  with  the  top  thereof  in  heaven ;  and  thus, 
let  us  make  us  a  name.'  But,  that  'the  Lord  said,  go  to,  let 
us  go  down  and  there  confound  their  language ;' — that  '  the 
Lord  scattered  them  abroad  from  thence  upon  the  faee  of  all 
the  earth  ;'  and,  that  the  name  of  it  is  called  Babel,  [confusion 
or  the  order  of  disorder,]  because  the  Lord  did  there  confound 
the  language  of  all  the  earth  [church.]  (See  Gen.,  x.  10,  11.) 
From  all  which,  it  becomes  manifest,  that  the  direful  result 
flowing  from  the  making  of  brick,  [devising  and  framing  doc- 
trinals  of  faith  from  self-derived  intelligence,] — burning  them 
with  a  burning,  [confirming  them  from  the  fire  of  self-love,] — 
connecting  them  in  slime,  [concupiscence  of  the  external  or 
sensual  man,] — building  them  up  into  a  tower  the  top  in  heaven, 
[establishing  a  hierarchy  or  priesthood  that  should  exercise 
dominion  over  the  things  of  heaven,] — teas  nothing  less  than 
the  bringing  in  of  the  order  of  disorder,  and  thence  of  an  in- 


274 


Legislative  Powers  Assumed,  etc.     [E.  Art.  4, 


xxndaling  flood  of  confusion  upon  the  Ancient  Church,  by 
which  it  became  scattered  abroad,  dispersed,  consummated 
and  ended. 

220.  Concerning  the  Israelitish  Church  in  the  wilderness, 
we  are  taught,  1st.  That  '  when  the  people  saw,  that  Moses 
delayed  to  come  down  from  the  mount,  they  convened  together, 
[assembled  themselves  in  council  or  convention,'\  and  said  to 
Aaron,  Up,  make  us  gods  which  shall  go  before  us ;  for,  as 
for  this  Moses,  the  man  that  brought  us  up  out  of  the  land  of 
Egypt,  we  wot  not  what  is  become  of  him.'     g)    2d.  That 


(3g-)  It  is  here  worthy  of  remark,  that  whatever  were  the  argumenti 
used  on  that  occasion  for  or  against  the  resohition  involved  in  this  passage, 
namely,  whether  by  Caleb,  Eldad  and  Medad,  in  opposition  to  it,  and  in 
favor  of  the  order  of  Divine  order,  which  had  not  only  been  manifested 
before  their  eyes,  in  their  mighty  deliverance  from  Egyptian  bondage; 
in  their  deliverance  from  the  red  sea  through  which  they  had  recently 
passed;  in  the  bread  of  heaven  which  Ihey  gathered  and  eat  daily,  and 
in  the  water  which  they  daily  drank  from  the  flinty  rock; — but  also, 
which  was  at  that  very  time  before  their  eyes  as  often  as  they  turnetl 
them  to  Sinai,  the  mount  of  God ; — or,  contrariwise,  by  Korah,  Datkan 
and  Miram,  in  favor  of  the  resolution,  and  thence  also  in  favor  of  the 
order  of  disorder  flowing  from  self-derived  intelligence,  as  that  which 
would  be  of  a  more  definite  and  tangible  form,  and  thence  supposed  to  be 
better  accommodated  and  adapted  their  disordered  state,  namely  :  what- 
ever might  have  been  the  opposition  to  the  resolution  in  question,  it  re- 
mains certain,  that  the  friends  of  it  so  managed  the  matter,  that  it  passed 
triumphantly!  And,  it  being  now  resolved,  that  Aaron  should  make 
gods  for  the  sons  of  Israel  which  should  go  before  them,  and  safely  lead 
tliem  into  the  promised  land,  [the  Order  of  Divine  Order,]  it  is  remarka- 
ble that  he  [Aaron]  manifests  not  the  least  degree  of  bashful  reluctance 
whatever,  in  accepting  the  wonderful  dignity  thus  conferred  upon  him  by 
the  congregation  of  the  sons  of  Israel.  From  his  readiness  to  accept  of 
the  high  office  in  question,  it  would  almost  appear  as  if  the  abstract  prin- 
ciples of  the  order  of  disorder  had  previously  been  struggling  for  the  birth 
within  him,  and  that  he  wished  for  nothing  more  than  for  a  commission  to 
carry  out  those  principles;  not  indeed  into  the  form  of  written  statutes  or 
laws  of  church  order,  after  the  fashion  of  those  abounding  at  this  day  in 
creeds,  constitutions,  and  confessions  of  faith,  but  in  the  form  of  something 
still  more  definite  and  tangible,  thus  more  perfectly  accommodated  to  the 
grossly  sensual  and  external  state  of  the  people;  nay,  as  that  which  they 
might  even  see  with  their  eyes,  and  handle  with  their  hands!  Whence, 
we  find,  that,  in  order  that  Aaron  might  properly  carry  out  what  was 
embodied  within  him,  he,  in  the  first  place,  issued  an  ecclesiastical  edict 
or  decree,  essentially  making  one  with  those  in  after  times,  called  papal 
bulls,  and  thus  also  making  one  with  ecclesiastical  laws,  as  follows: — 
'  Break  ofl"  the  golden  car-rings,  whicli  are  in  the  ears  of  your  wives,  sons 
and  d.Tughters,  and  bring  them  to  me.'  This  priestly  edict  of  Aaron  is 
remarkable  in  this,  that,  being  the  first  of  the  kind,  recorded  in  the  an- 
nals of  the  church,  it  is,  nevertheless,  in  perfect  keeping  with  the  first  and 
great  article  of  every  ecclesiastical  code  from  that  day  to  this;  inasmuch 
as  it  points  to  gold  in  the  first  place,  as  that  which  is  essentially  necessary 
to  enable  the  priest  to  carry  out  the  things  embodied  within. 

But,  farther,  we  find,  that,  in  obedience  to  the  priestly  edict, '  the  peo- 


Chap.  II.]     Aaron  Faithfully  Employed,  etc.  275 


Aaron  said  unto  them,  •  break  off  the  golden  ear-rings  which 
are  in  the  ears  of  your  wives,  of  your  sons,  and  of  your  daugh- 


ple  broke  off  the  ear-rings  that  were  in  their  ears,  and  brought  them  unto 
Aaron;'  and,  that,  alter  Aaron  had  melted  them  in  the  fire,  [self-love,] 
and  moulded  the  metal  thence  issuing,  according  to  the  fashion  of  his  own. 
best  judgment,  and  graved  it  with  the  graving  tool  of  his  own  self-derived 
intelligence,  he  then  presenied  it  to  the  people,  as  the  carrying  out  and 
ultimating,  in  a  tangible  and  definite  form,  of  ever;y  thing  ecclesiastical 
embodied  within  him.' 

But  here  the  important  question  arises,  namely,  what  was  it  that  Aaron 
carried  out  and  produced  before  the  people,  as  that  which  was  adapted 
and  accommodated  to  their  diseased  and  disordered  state,  and  which  was 
esteemed  of  such  vast  importance,  that  had  young  Caleb,  or  any  other  of 
the  opposite  party  interrupted  the  priest,  while  faithfully  employed  in  the 
discharge  of  his  office,  such  offender  would  doubtless  have  been  stoned  to 
death  as  an  aider  and  abettor  of  the  enemies  of  good  church  government] 
(Compare  with  Precursor,  vol.  2,  p.  341.)  Namely,  what  was  it,  that 
Aaron  produced  before  tlie  people,  as  that  to  which  was  attributed  the 
power  by  which  they  were  brought  up  from  the  land  of  Egypt;  and  ,  as 
that,  for  the  sake  of  which,  they  rejected  the  Lord  and  his  servant  Moses — 
spurning,  at  the  same  time.  Divine  order  far  from  them?  Namely,  what 
was  it,  that  Aaron  carried  out  into  form  so  august  and  so  sublime,  and, 
at  the  same  time,  so  after  the  order  of  disorder,  as  to  altogether  divert  the 
attention  of  the  men  of  the  church  from  the  grandeur  and  sublimity  of 
the  mount  of  God — enwrapped  with  clouds  and  lightnings — thunders 
roaring — trumpets  sounding  I  and  crowned  with  the  glory  of  God  at  the 
top!  What  was  it?  Be  astonished,  O  earth! — il  icas  a  calf!!  Israel 
changed  the  glory  of  God  into  the  similitude  of  an  ox  that  eateth  grass! 
(Psalm,  cvi.  20.)  The  sons  of  Israel,  turning  their  back  upon  Divine 
order,  danced  around  the  order  of  disorder  1  Nay,  when  they  saw  the  calf 
-which  their  newly  made  priest  had  made,  they  exclaimed, '  these  be  thy 
gods,  O  Israel,  which  brought  thee  up  out  of  the  land  of  Egypt!' 

But,  farther,  it  may  be  seen,  that  when  Aaron  saw  how  well  his  calf 
"was  received,  and  especially,  when  he  had  witnessed  the  plaudits  of  the 
people  respecting  it,  he  gave  manifest  proof,  that  all  the  abstract  princi- 
!     pies  of  order  embodied  within  him,  were  not  yet  fully  carried  out;  for 
I     we  read,  that,  ^when  Aaron  saw,''  (that  is,  saw  how  %vell  his  calf  was  re- 
I     ceived,)  '  he  built  an  altar  before  it,  and  then  proclaimed,'  to-morrow  a 
feast  to  the  Lord.'    Here,  observe,  Aaron  says, '  a  feast  to  the  Lord !'  The 
reason  why  Aaron  IhiLs  speaks,  is,  because  priests,  from  that  day  to  this, 
claim  the  institutions  which  they  have  carried  out  from  principles  em- 
bodied within  them,  to  be  the  institutions  of  God's  house — oidinances  of 
I     the  church — the  pillars  and  ground  of  the  truth,  &c.    Whence,  speaking 
I     of  the  order  which  themselves  have  established  in  the  church,  as  of  that 
^     which  God  has  established  there,  they  claim  humility  and  obedience  from 
i     all  towards  the  order  of  God  I — thus,  making  use  of  the  name  of  God  as  a 
means  to  bring  all  into  subjection  to  their  own  order,  the  order  of  dis- 
order, and  thence  into  subjection  to  themselves!    Another  reason  why 
Aaron  said,  'a  feast  to  the  Lord,'  was  doubtless  this : — priests  have  never 
been  ignorant,  that  men  would  spurn  with  indignation  any  species  of 
worship  whatever  in  which  the  Lord  is  not  made,  at  least,  the  ostensible 
object  of  it,  however  they  might,  in  accordance  with  it,  in  reality  worship 
the  devil  himself  according  to  their  heart's  desire.       hence,  we  are  to 
understand,  that  the  sons  of  Israel  'rose  up  early  on  the  morrow,  to  offer 


276 


Legislative  Powers  Assxmied.  [E.Art.4, 


ters,  and  bring  them  to  me.'  '  3d.  That  all  the  people  broke 
off  the  golden  ear-rings  which  were  in  tiieir  ears,  and  brought 
them  unio  Aaron.  4ih.  That  '  he  received  them  at  their  hand, 
and,  after  he  had  made  it  a  molten  calf,  he  fashioned  it  with  a 
graving  tool.'  5th.  'J'hat  they  said,  '  these  be  thy  gods,  O 
Israel,  which  brought  thee  up  out  of  tlie  land  of  Egypt.'  6th. 
That  'when  Aaron  saw,  he  built  an  altar  before  it,  and  made 
proclamation,  and  said,  'to-morrow  a  feast  to  the  Lord."  7th. 
That  the  people  '  rose  up  early  on  the  morrow,  and  offered 
burnt  offerings,'  etc.  8th.  That  they  'sat  down  to  eat  and  to 
drink,  and  rose  up  to  plaj'.'  9ih.  That,  in  relation  to  all  this, 
'the  Lord  said  to  Moses,  I  have  seen  this  people,  and  behold 
it  is  a  siiff-necked  people ;  now  therefore  let  me  alone  that  my 
wrath  may  wax  hot  against  them,  and  that  I  may  consume 
them.'  lOlh.  That  Moses,  when  he  saw  the  people  dancing 
around  the  calf,  cast  the  tables  out  of  his  hands  and  broke  them.' 
1  lih.  That  '  there  fell  of  the  people  that  day  about  three  thou- 
sand men.'  12lh.  That  '  Aaron  had  made  the  people  naked, 
unto  their  shame,  among  those  that  rose  up  against  them.'  13th. 
That  '  the  Lord  plagued  the  people  because  they  made  the  calf 
which  Aaron  made.'  And,  14th.  That  '  Moses  took  the  taber- 
nacle and  pitched  it  without  the  camp  afar  off ;'  the  result  of 
which  was,  that  every  one  that  sought  the  Lord,  went  without 
the  camp  unto  the  tabernacle  of  the  congregation.  (See  Exod., 
xxxii.  1  to  G,  9,  10,  19,  25,  28,  35;  xxxiii.  7.j  From  all 
which,  the  direful  result  flowing  from  making  and  framing  idols 
or  images,  [false  doctrinals,  or  the  order  of  disorder  from  self- 
deriyed  intelligence,]  becomes  abundantly  manifest. 

221.  Concerning  other  things  pertaining  to  the  idolatries  of 
the  sons  of  Israel,  (previously  to  their  directly  violating  the  law 
of  the  Lord  by  the  statutes  and  precepts  of  their  kings,)  whether 
on  this,  or  that  side  Jordan,  let  ii  be  briefly  stated  : 

1st.  That  the  sons  of  Israel  were  commanded,  by  the  law  of 
Moses,  lo  utterly  destroy  liic  places  wherein  the  nations,  whom 
they  should  afterwards  drive  out,  had  served  their  gods,  wheth- 
er upon  mountains,  or  hills,  or  under  green  trees  ; — that  they 
should  break  their  pillars,  burn  their  groves,  overturn  their  altars, 
hew  down  the  graven  images  of  their  gods,  and  destroy  the 
names  of  them  out  of  that  place; — that,  in  future,  ihcy  should 
not  offer  tiieir  ofl'erings  in  every  place  which  they  might  see, 
as  they  did  at  the  time  Uien  present,  wherein  every  man  did 

sacrifices  to  the  Lord'  ostetisibly,  but  in  rcalili/  to  the  de\'il,  in  the  likeness 
or  form  of  that  cn// which  Aaron  their  priest  had  hatched  out  from  abstract 
order  embodied  within ;— and,  that,  alter  they  had  sat  down  and  feasted 
with  the  calf,  [devil,]  they  rose  up  to  play !  |;to  dance  around  him !] 


Chap.  II.3      Conjunction  with  Baalpeor,  etc. 


277 


that  rohich  was  right  in  his  own  eyes  ; — that,  when  they 
should  come  into  the  rest  provided  for  ihem  of  the  Lord,  there 
should  be  a  place  which  the  Lord  would  choose  to  cause  his 
name  to  dwell  there ; — that  thither  they  should  bring  all  their 
tithes  and  offerings,  and  there  rejoice  before  the  Lord ;  and 
that  lliey  should  take  heed,  not  even  to  '  inquire  how  the  nations 
whom  they  had  dispossessed  served  their  gods,'  lest  they  might 
say  in  their  hearts,  '  even  so  will  I  do  likewise.*  (See  Deuter- 
onomy, xii.) 

2d.  Nevertheless,  in  defiance  of  all  which,  we  find,  that  Is- 
rael joined  himself  lo  Baalpeor,  [the  profanity  of  worship  as 
established  by  Moab,]  the  dire  result  of  which  was,  that  the 
Lord  said  to  Moses,  '  take  all  the  iieads  of  the  people  and  hang 
them  up  before  the  Lord  against  the  sun ;  and,  that  '  those  who 
died  of  the  plague  were  twenty  and  four  thousand.'  (See 
Numbers,  xxv.) 

3d.  That,  on  the  other  side  Jordan,  Israel  forgot  the  law  of 
the  Lord  his  God,  and  served  Baalim  and  the  groves  ;  [lusts 
and  falsities  of  the  natural  man,  and  the  false  religion  thence 
the  dire  result  of  which  was,  that  the  Lord  sold  the  sons  of 
Israel  into  the  hand  of  Chushan-rishathaim,  [blackness  of  in- 
iquities.]   (Judges,  iii.) 

4th.  That  Gideon,  who  had  thrown  down  the  altar  of  Baal; 
cut  down  the  grove  that  was  by  it ;  defeated  the  hosts  of  Midi- 
an  with  three  hundred  men,  and  who  had  modestly  declined 
being  king  himself,  or  even  permitting  any  of  his  sons  to  be 
king  over  Israel,  nevertheless,  accepted  of  a  present  of  seven- 
teen hundred  shekels  of  gold,  of  which  to  make  an  ephod;  [an 
oracle  at  which  to  enquire  of  the  Lord;  ]  Sam.,  xxiii,  9;] — 
that,  having  made  an  ephod,  Israel  '  went  a  whoring  after  it;* 
and>>that  the  dire  result  was,  that  '  this  thing  became  a  snare  to 
Gideon  and  his  house;  and,  ultimately,  that  of  his  seventy  sons 
none  escaped  the  sword  of  Ahimelecli  (the  son  of  his  concubine) 
but  Jotham,  his  youngest,  who  had  hidden  himself!  (See 

\   Judges,  vi.,  viii.  and  ix.) 

5th.  That  the  children  of  Israel  went  a  whoring  after  Baalim 

!  and  Ashtaroth,  and  made  Baal-berilh  [false  doctrinals  as  re- 
ferred to  the  covenant]  their  god  ;  (Judges,  viii.  33;) — that  they 
served  the  gods  of  Srjria,  of  Zidon,  of  Moab,  and  of  the  Philis- 
tines, and  forsook  the  Lord  and  served  him  not ;  and  that  the 
dire  result  thence  flowing  was,  that  the  Lord  sold  them  into  the 

I hands  of  the  Philistines,  and  into  the  hands  of  the  children  of 
Ammon.    (Judges,  x.  6,  7.) 
6.  That  the  man  Micah  had  a  house  of  gods,  namely,  an 
ephod,  a  teraphim,  a  graven  and  a  molten  image; — that,  in 

24 


278 


Legislative  Power  Assumed,  etc.      [E,  Art.  4, 


his  days,  every  man  did  that  which  was  right  in  his  own  eyes  ; 
~that  the  sons  of  Dan,  not  only  robbed  Micah  of  his  priest, 
whom  he  had  consecrated  for  himself,  but  also  of  his  ^ods, 
which  he  had  made,  and  withal,  set  them  up  in  Dan,  all  the 
time  that  the  house  of  God  was  in  Shiioh,  (^h)  and  thence 


(S/i)  The  tabernacle  or  house  of  God  was  set  up  at  Shiioh  [Bethel] 
(see  Judges,  xsi.  19)  seven  years  after  Israel  had  passed  over  Jordan, 
(Joshua,  xviii.  1,)  and  remained  there  most  of  the  lirne  of  the  Judges, 
[328  years,]  name!}  ,  until  it  was  taken  by  the  Philistines;  after  this,  it 
was  brought  to  the  house  of  Abinadab,  where  it  remained  seventy -two 
years.  (See  1  Samuel,  vii.  1.)  It  was  then  brought  up  to  the  city  of 
David,  and  placed  in  the  tent  which  he  had  pitched  for  It.  As  touching 
the  tabernacle  anti  the  ark  of  the  testimony,  the  following  things  are  re- 
markable: 1.  That,  in  the  transactions  which  preceded  the  administra- 
tion of  Eli,  for  240  years  (according  to  natural  chronology)  no  reierence 
is  made  to  the  tabernacle  or  the  ark  at  Shiioh.  2.  Thai,  after  the  daya 
of  Eli,  the  ark  (until  it  was  brought  to  the  city  of  David)  was  at  the 
house  of  Abinadab,  (see  above,)  while  the  tabernacle  and  the  brazen  altar 
was  at  Gibeon ;  and,  at  the  same  time,  that  J^ub  was  the  city  or  place  of 
residence  of  the  priests  wearing  tlie  ephod.  (1  Sam.,  xxi.  1;  and  2Chron., 
i.  5)  3.  That,  although  the  ark  was  at  one  place,  the  tabernacle  at 
another,  and  the  priests  at  another,  yet,  it  is  said,  that  the  'priest  gave 
David  hallowtd  bread,  that  was  taken  from  before  the  Lord  to  put  hut 
breatl  in  the  place  thereof.'  (1  Samuel,  xxi.  6.)  4.  That  the  ark  was 
not  inquired  at  in  the  days  of  Saul.  (1  Chron.,  xiii.  3.)  5.  That,  when 
David  had  brought  up  the  ark  to  the  tent  which  he  had  pitched  for  it,  he 
appointed  Levitcs  (Asa[)h  and  his  brethren)  to  minister  before  it  continu- 
ally ;  also,  he  appointed  priests  (Zadok  and  his  brethren)  to  minister  con- 
tinually before  the  tabernacle  of  the  Loid  in  the  high  place  at  Gibeon. 
(1  Chron.,  xvi.  37,  39.)  6.  That,  from  the  days  of  Eli  to  (he  time  that 
the  ark  was  brought  to  the  city  of  David,  it  does  not  appear,  that  the 
priests  conceived  it  to  be  specially  incumbent  on  them  to  minister  in  the 
high  place  at  Gibeon,  more  than  in  others,  of  which  there  were  many  ex- 
tant in  those  days.  7.  That,  wheresoever  there  happened  to  be  a  re- 
markable display  of  the  Lord's  providence  or  power,  there  the  sons  of 
Israel  built  an  altar  and  offered  sacrifices;  and,  thus  constituted  it  a  high 
place.  8.  That  the  reason  why  the  tabernacle  was  at  Gibeon,  thus  why 
Gibeon  was  a  great  high  place,  (1  Kings,  iii.  4,)  may  be  accounted  for 
from  this,  that  it  was  there  that  the  sun  stood  still  for  a  whole  day. 
(Josh.,  X.  12  )  9.  That  the  threshing  floor  of  Oman  the  Jebusite  was 
constituted  the  highest  place  of  all,  and  the  scite  worthy  of  the  temple 
itself,  because  it  was  there  that  the  hand  of  the  destroying  angel  was 
stayed.  (1  C  hron.,  xxi.  15.)  10.  That  David,  being  afraid,  because  of 
the  sword  of  the  angel  of  the  Lord,  could  not  go  before  the  tabernacle  of 
the  Lord  at  Gibeon  to  inquire  of  God;  therefore  he  built  an  altar,  in  the 
threshing  Jloor  of  Oman,  and  offered  burnt  offerings  thereon — which  the 
Lord  answered  Ironi  heaven  by  fire  upon  the  altar ;  and,  that  these  things 
took  place  after  the  ark  had  been  brought  up  to  the  city  of  David,  and 
the  tiricsts  and  Levitcs  appointed  to  their  special  trusts.  (1  Chron.,  xxi. 
29,  .  oiupared  with  art.  5.)  11.  That,  when  David  saw  that  the  Lord 
had  answered  him  from  the  threshing  floor  of  Oman,  \te  snk],  this  is  (he 
house  ofUie  Lord  God,  and  tliis  is  the  altar  of  burnt  offering  for  Israel;  and 
straightway  gave  commandment  to  prepare  materials  wherewith  to  build 
the  house  of  God.    (See  1  Chron.,  xxii.  1,  2.) 


Chap.  II,]        Micah  Jiobbed  of  his  Gods. 


279 


until  the  captivity  of  the  land  ;  [church  ;]  (Judges,  xvii.,  xviii.;) 
and  that  the  direful  result  was,  that  the  Amorites  forced  the 
children  of  Dan  into  the  mountain,  and  would  not  suffer  them 
to  come  down  into  the  valley  ;  (Judges,  i.  34  ;)  that  is,  those 
represented  by  Dan  became  so  immersed  in  evils,  flowing  from 
the  love  of  self,,  [mountain,]  that  the  false,  represented  by  the 
Amorites,  took  full  possession  of  their  externals,  [valley.] 

7th.  That,  in  the  general,  after  the  time  of  the  elders  that 
out-lived  Joshua,  there  arose  another  generation,  that  forsook 
the  Lord  and  served  strange  gods,  and,  that  the  direful  conse- 
quence in  the  general  was,  that  the  Lord  delivered  them  into 
the  hands  of  spoilers,  that  spoiled  them  to  such  degree,  that 
they  could  no  longer  stand  before  their  enemies ;  and  also,  that, 
although  the  Lord  oftentimes  raised  thein  up  judges  who  de- 
livered them,  nevertheless,  that,  when  the  judge  at  any  time 
was  dead,  '  they  ceased  not  from  their  own  doings,'  namely, 
to  do  whatsoever  was  right  in  their  own  eyes!    (See  Jud.,  ii.) 

8th,  That,  as  touching  high  places,  tlie  children  of  Israel 
built  altars  and  sacrificed  at  Mizpeh,  Gilgal,  Bethel,  and  at 
Ramah  ; — that  Samuel  built  an  altar  at  Ramah  unto  the  Lord, 
which  was  thence  called  the  high  place  ;  (compare  1  Samuel, 
vii.  17,  with  ix.  12  ;) — that  Saul  built  an  altar  unto  the  Lord  in 
AijALON,  the  valley  in  which  the  moon  stood  still,  (Josh.,  x.  12,) 
and  thence  gave  commandment  to  go  down  after  the  Philistines 
by  night;  (see  1  Sam.,  xiv.  35;) — that  Saul  abode  in  Gibeah, 
under  a  grove  in  a  high  place;  (1  Sam.,  xxii.  6;) — that,  al- 
though the  ark  of  God  was  in  the  city  of  David,  and  an  altar 
had  been  built  in  the  threshing-floor  of  Ornan,  on  mount  Mori- 
ah,  by  David,  and  thence  called  the  house  of  God  and  the  place 
of  burnt  offering  for  Israel,  nevertheless,  Solomon  and  all  the 
congregation  with  him  went  up  to  the  high  place  that  was  in 
Gibeon,and  ofliered  there  a  thousand  burnt  offerings;  (1  Kings, 
iii.  2,  3,  4  ;) — that  Solomon  built  an  high  place  for  Chemosh 
and  Moloch,  the  abominations  of  Moab  and  Ammon,  and, 
in  like  manner,  did  he  build  high  places  [establish  the  order  of 
disorder]  for  all  his  .strange  wives,  [churches,]  which  burnt 
incense  and  sacrificed  to  other  gods,  [worshipped  accoiding  to 
false  doctrinals  derived  from  self-derived  intelligence,]  (see  1 
Kings,  xi.  7,  8  ;) — and  that  the  direful  result  of  all  which  was, 
that,  as  referred  to  Samuel,  the  Lord  took  vengeance  on  his 
inventions,  equally  as  on  those  of  Aaron  ;  (Psalms,  xcix.  11  ; — 
that,  as  referred  to  Saul,  an  evil  spirit  from  the  Lord  troubled 
him;  (I  Sam.,  xvi.  14;)  and  that,  as  referred  to  Solomon,  the 
kingdom  of  Israel  became  divided  and  rent  asunder,  in  the 
hands  of  his  son  Rehoboam,  [the  foolishness  of  the  people,]  so 


280 


Legislative  Powers  .Assumed,  etc.     [E.  Art.  4, 


that  ten  of  the  tribes  of  Israel  fell  to  Jeroboam  the  son  of  Nebat, 
the  adversary  of  Solomon,  while  one  only  remained  with  Reho- 
boam  his  son ! 

222.  But,  from  the  things  which  have  now  been  adduced, 
whether  in  relation  to  the  high  and  exalted  giants  of  the  Most 
Ancient  Church,  or  in  relation  to  the  high  and  exalted  towers 
and  cities  of  the  Nimrods  of  the  Ancient  Church,  or  in  relation 
to  the  high  and  exalted  places  of  the  Aarons,  the  Samuels,  the 
Sauls,  or  the  Solomons  of  the  Jewish  Church,  it  must  needs 
have  become  manifest,  that,  by  the  inventions  of  men  sought 
out,  seen,  and  established,  in  whatever  form,  and  wherever 
spoken  of  in  the  Word,  nothing  else  is  represented  and  signified 
than  the  establishment  of  false  principles,  false  doctrinals,  and 
false  worship  in  the  church.  And,  not  only  this,  but,  I'rom  the 
premises  adduced,  has  it  not  become  quite  evident,  that  the 
labors  of  the  ancients,  who,  in  the  shade  of  groves,  built  up 
altars  [h\g\i  places3  whence  to  set  up  and  establish  the  worship 
of  the  images,  or  imaginations  of  the  thoughts  of  their  own 
hearts — whether  ultimated  in  the  form  of  AJoloQh  or  Dagon, 
^shtaroth  or  Baal,  or  otherwise — by  correspondence,  make 
one  with  the  labors  of  the  moderns,  who,  in  the  shade  of  the 
letter,  [groves — poplars  and  oaks — Hosea,  iv.  13,  and  Ezek., 
vi.  13,3  judicially  frame  and  build  up  a  code  of  church  edicts, 
ordinances  and  laws,  [altars,  towers  of  brick,  high  places — 
Isaiah,  Ixv.  4,]  whence  to  establish  the  worship  of  the  image 
or  imagination  of  the  thought  of  their  own  wicked  heart,  thus 
of  a  god  altogether  like  themselves,  or  rather,  indeed,  of  iliem- 
selves  alone  ?  Whence,  the  way  being  tlius  opened,  it  remains, 
that  the  thing  at  first  proposed  be  proved,  (See  the  head  of 
this  chapter,  n.  217.) 

223.  And,  in  relation  to  the  proposition  in  question,  it  is  to 
be  known,  that  Jeroboam  the  son  of  Nebal,  the  first  king  of  the 
ten  tribes  of  Israel  which  revolted  from  the  son  of  Solomon,  is 
the  first  spoken  of,  in  the  Word,  as  being  guilty  of  that  heavea- 
daring  offence,  which  consisted  in  his  formally  devising,  in  the 
imagination  of  the  thought  of  his  own  heart,  and  thence  au- 
thoritatively setting  up  statutes  or  laws  of  order  for  the  church, 
in  addition,  thus  in  oj)position,  to  the  statutes  of  heaven,  the 
laws  of  Divine  order,  already  revealed,  written  and  delivered. 
Jeroboam  not  only  made  new  gods,  but  also,  new  statutes; 
whence,  it  is  seen,  that  the  reason  why  Jeroboam  was  said  to 
have  '  done  evil  above  all  that  mere  before  him,'  and  thence 
proverbially  called  '  the  son  of  Nebat  who  made  Israel  to  sin,* 
was,  from  his  devising  in  his  own  heart  new  statutes  or  laws, 
whether  in  relation  to  the  ordination  of  his  priests,  the  order  of 


Chap.  II.]     Ahaz,  Aliab  and  Omri,  Lawgivers. 


m 


sacrificing  to  his  calVes,  the  order  Of  his  chapel  or  hous0  of 
high  places,  or  in  relation  to  the  limes  of  holding  his  feasts; 
(see  1  Kings,  xii.;)  especially  seeing,  that  others  before  him 
had  made  new  gods,  and  therefore,  as  far  as  these  alone  were 
concerned,  were  equally  guiliy  with  himself.  But,  for  more 
concerning  the  ecclesiastical  statutes  of  Jeroboam,  see  n.  177. 

224.  After  the  days  of  Jeroboam,  Omri  and  ^hab  presump- 
tuously arrogated  to  themselves  legislative  powers.  In  speak- 
ing of  the  ecclesiastical  laws  which  they  enacted,  the  prophet 
Micah  exclaims,  '  For  the  statutes  of  Ahab  and  Omri  are  kept ;' 
'  and  ye  walk  in  all  their  counsels,  that  J  [the  Lord]  should 
make  you  a  desolation.'  (vi.  16.)  As  touching  Omri,  we  are 
taught,  that  he  did  worse  than  all  that  were  before  him  ;  that 
he  walked  in  all  the  ways  of  Jeroboam  to  provoke  the  Lord  to 
anger  with  their  vanities;  [statutes  of  church  ordinances,  etc.;] 
(see  1  Kings,  xiv.  9,  11,  15,  and  xvi.  25,  26;)  and  as  touching 
Ahab,  we  are  taught,  that  '  he  did  evil  in  the  sight  of  the  Lord 
above  all  that  were  before  him;  that  he  walked  in  all  the  sins 
of  Jeroboam  ;  that  he  reared  up  an  altar  [high  place]  for  Baal; 
that  he  made  a  grove  ;  thai  he  rebuilt  Jericho ;  and  that  he 
*  sold  himself  to  do  wickedness  in  the  sight  of  the  JjOrd.'  (See 
1  Kings,  xvi.  29,  30,  and  xxi.  23.) 

225.  After  the  times  of  Ahab  and  Omri,  we  find,  that  Ahaz, 
one  of  the  kings  of  Judah,  presumptuously  took  it  upon  himself 
to  be  the  legislator  or  lawgiver  of  the  church  ;  and,  as  a  speci- 
men of  his  ecclesiastical  enactments,  the  following  articles  are 
adduced  : 

1st.  That  Urijah  the  priest  should  make  an  altar,  to  be  called 
the  Great  Altar,  after  the  pattern  and  workmanship  of  the  altar 
at  Damascus. 

2d.  That  the  priest  should  offer  the  morning  and  evening 
offerings,  of  both  the  king  and  all  the  people  of  the  land,  upon 
the  Great  Altar. 

3d.  That  the  priest  should  sprinkle  upon  the  Great  Altar  all 
the  blood  of  the  burnt  offering,  as  well  as  of  that  of  the  sacri- 
fice. 

4th.  That  the  brazen  altar  [the  altar  of  the  Lord]  should  be 
removed  from  the  fore  front  of  the  house  ;  thus  from  between 
the  Great  Altar  and  the  house  of  the  Lord,  and  placed  on  the 
north  side ;  and,  that  the  brazen  altar  should  be  for  the  king 
[alone]  to  enquire  by.    (See  2  Kings,  xvi.) 

As  touching  the  wickedness  of  this  great  statute-maker  and 
heresiarch,  we  are  taught,  that  he  made  his  son  to  pa^s  through 
the  fire  according  to  the  abominations  of  the  heathen  ; — that  he 
sacrificed  in  high  places  and  under  every  green  tree;  (2  Kings, 

24* 


iB2  The  Legislative  Principle  Adopted.    [JE.  Art.  4, 


xvi.  3,  4 ;) — that  he  sacrificed  to  the  gods  of  Damascus  which 
smote  him,  so  that  they  might  help  him ; — that  he  made  high 
places  [altars]  in  every  city  of  Judah  to  burn  incense  to  other 
gods; — that  he  shut  up  the  doors  of  the  house  of  the  Lord;- 
(2  Chron.,  xxviii.;)  and  finally,  that  in  his  days  the  sun  went 
aown  ten  degrees.    (Isaiah,  xxxviii.  8.) 

From  all  which,  the  proposition  under  consideration  becomes 
abundantly  manifest,  namely :  that  ecclesiastical  statutes  or 
laws  were  first  devised  by  wicked  and  presumptuous  kings  of 
Israel,  whose  hearts  had  departed  from  the  Lord. 


CHAPTER  III. 

(Note  E. — Article  IV.) 

That  the  clergy  of  the  Christian  church,  after  the  example  of 
the  wicked  kings  of  Israel,  adopted  the  principle,  that  man 
may  judicially  determine  faith  and  the  laws  of  order  for  the 
men  of  the  church,  and  carried  out  that  principle  with  a 
high  hand. 

226.  The  clergy  of  the  Christian  church,  being  either  Catho- 
lic or  Reformed,  let  us  therefore,  in  the  first  place,  examine  the 
truth  of  the  proposition,  as  referred  to  the  Catholic  clergy. 
And,  that  the  Catholic  clergy  adopted  the  principle,  that  man 
may  judicially  determine  faith  and  laws  of  order  for  the  men  of 
the  church,  may  be  seen  from  things  innumerable ;  a  few  of 
which  are  adduced  in  the  articles  which  here  follow. 

1st.  They  teach,  that  the  gracious  Redeemer  does  not  re- 
quire poor  ignorant  people  to  pick  out  their  religion,  through 
the  exercise  of  their  own  scanty  intellect,  from  the  holy  Scrip- 
tures, or  to  depend  on  their  own  weak  capacities  for  detecting 
the  true  sense  and  interpretation  of  the  Word  : — that  the  Bible, 
being  more  or  less  obscure  in  most  parts  of  it,  and  full  of  things 
hard  to  be  understood,  which  the  ignorant  and  unstable  wrest 
to  their  own  destruction,  therefore  it  cannot  be  the  only  rule  of 
faith  established  by  Christ;  consequently,  that  the  Scriptures, 
as  a  rule  of  faith,  were  never  intended  to  be  put  into  the  hands 
of  every  man  ;  and,  that  their  sincere  respect  is  evinced  for  the 
Bible  ;  seeing,  that,  in  agreement  with  their  creed,  they  will 
not  submit  it  to  the  indiscriminate  and  private  judgment  of  every 
ignorant  and  fanatical  mind.    (See  Brownlec,  p.  40,  101.) 

2d.  They  teach,  that  the  Scriptures,  being  the  law,  they 
cannot  be  the  judge  ;  seeing,  that,  on  the  supposition  that  they 


Chcp.  III.]      Catholic  Respect  for  the  Word. 


283 


were,  their  decisions  have  been  found  to  be  utterly  different  in 
different  individuals  ;  nevertheless,  thata^wrfo-c  whose  decisions 
shall  be  infallible  is  absolutely  necessary  to  prevent  tiie  church 
being  rent  asunder.    (See  the  Priest's  Letters  to  Brownlee.) 

3d.  They  teach,  that  infallibility  resides  in  a  general  council, 
at  which  the  pope  is  present  eitlier  in  person  or  by  his  legates  ; 
(see  Suares  on  Faith,  p.  5;)  and,  that  the  traditions,  comprising 
the  decrees  of  councils  and  popes,  handed  down  by  the  church, 
are  of  equal  authority  with  the  Word  !  (See  Rob.  Charles  V., 
pages  242,  332.) 

4ih.  They  teach,  that  the  pontiffs  of  Rome,  by  defining  or 
interpreting  many  things  which  before  lay  hid,  have  thence  ea- 
larged  the  symbol  of  faith.  (Z  i)    (Thomas  Aquinas.) 

5th.  They  teach,  that,  when  the  Lord  ascended  up  on  high, 
he  gave  the  gift  of  the  keys  of  the  kingdom  of  heaven  to  Peter, 
to  the  end  that  he  might  thence  rule  and  reign  over  the  church ; 
and,  that  Peter  transmitted  the  same  keys  to  his  successors, 
whose  successors  they  are. 

6th.  They  teach,  that  the  men  of  the  church  must  take  their 
faith,  and  all  things  else  pertaining  to  salvation,  at  their  hands. 
(See  n.  55,  art.  31.) 

7th.  That  the  Roman  clergy,  in  accordance  with  the  senti- 
ments contained  in  the  articles  preceding,  did  actually  proceed 
to  enact  canons  for  the  church,  besides  the  canon  of  the  Word, 
may  be  seen  in  the  additional  articles  which  here  follow. 

8th.  That,  in  the  council  of  Nice,  A.  D.  325,  with  the  em- 
peror at  their  head,  they  ordained  and  decreed,  that  '  there  are 
three  persons  in  the  Godhead,  each  very  God,  of  equal  power 
and  eternity' — banished  Arius — formed  a  creed,  and  compelled 
the  Arians  to  assent  to  it; — n.  55.  (See  Mosheim,  vol.  1, 
pages  39.  338.) 

9th.  That,  in  the  council  of  Antioch,  A.  D.  344,  they 
ejected  Athanasius,  (the  author  of  tri-personality,)  and  altered 
the  sum  of  the  Nicene  faith.  (Gillespie.) 

10th.  That,  in  the  council  of  Constantinople,  A.  D.  381, 
with  the  emperor  at  their  head,  they  gave  the  finisiiing  touch 
to  what  the  Nicene  council  had  left  imperfect,  and  fixed  in  a 
full  and  determinate  manner  the  doctrine  of  three  persons  in 
one  God;  and,  at  the  same  time,  branded  with  infamy  what- 
ever they  decreed  to  be  error.   (Mosheim,  vol.  i.,  p.  415.) 

Hth.  That,  in  A.  D.  383,  they  decreed  in  council,  that  'no 
bishop  shall  invade  the  bounds  of  another.'  (Gillespie.) 


(3«)  It  is  said,  that  the  symbol  of  the  Catholic  faith  would  load  four 
carts  heavilj  I 


2S4 


Statute-making  Adopted. 


[E.  Art.  4, 


12th,  That,  in  A.  D.  399,  they  decreed,  that  '  men  in  spir- 
itual offices  shall  not  be  entangled  with  secular  business,'  (Gil- 
lespie.) 

IHlh.  That,  in  A,  D,  401,  they  decreed,  that  'if  any  man 
thought  himself  wronged,  he  sliould  appeal  to  the  national 
council,  and,  if  they  wronged  him,  he  should  appeal  to  the 
general  council.'  k) 

14th.  That,  in  a  council,  A.  D.  451,  they  decreed,  that  an 
epistle,  which  Leo  bishop  of  Rome  had  written  to  Flavianus, 
on  the  subject  of  the  tivo  natures  of  C/irist,  should  be  adopted 
as  the  rule  of  faith.'  (Gillespie.) 

15th.  That,  in  a  council,  A,  D.  550,  they  decreed,  that  '  the 
high  priest  should  be  judged  by  no  man  ;  and,  that  his  doings 
were  only  to  be  examined  before  the  tribunal  of  God.'  (Ibid.) 

]6ih.  That,  in  the  council,  A.  D.  555,  they  decreed,  that 
•  Christians  should  be  anointed  with  oil  before  their  departure 
out  of  this  life  ;  and,  that  men  should  stand  while  the  gospel 
was  read.'  [Ibid.) 

17lh.  That,  in  council,  A.  D,  613,  they  decreed,  that  '  who- 
soever shall  fly  from  his  own  church  to  another,  shall  be  sent 
back  again  and  put  in  a  monastery,  to  the  end  that  sharpness  of 
discipline  may  coriect  \he  licentiousness  of  wandering.*  (Ibid.) 

18ih,  That,  in  council,  A.  D.  639,  they  decreed,  that  >  there 
shall  be  one  uniform  order  of  praying,  singing,  and  saying 
masses;  lest  diversity  of  ceremonies  might  make  the  ignorant 
think  there  was  a  schism  in  the  church.'  (Ibid.) 

19ih,  That,  in  council,  A.  D.  670,  they  decreed,  that  '  no 
man  shall  marry  a  woman  with  whom  he  had  been  witness  in 
baptism,'  in  consequence  of  the  spiritual  consanguiHily  that 
thence  was  supposed  to  exist  between  them. 

20lh.  That,  in  the  council  of  Melfi,  A,  D.  1090,  with  pope 
Urban  at  their  head,  they  decreed,  that  'it  is  impossible,  with 
a  safe  conscience,  to  exercise  any  tratlic  or  follow  the  profession 
of  the  law.'    (See  Blackstone,  vol.  1,  p.  260.) 

21st.  That,  in  the  fourth  council  of  Lateran,  A,  D.  1215, 
with  the  pope  at  their  head,  they  decreed  and  enacted  no  less 
than  seventy  laws  or  decrees,  by  which  the  power  of  the  popes, 
along  with  their  own  power,  [tiie  power  of  the  clergy,]  was 
established  ;  and  new  doctrines  or  articles  of  faith  imposed  on 
the  Christian  church — amongst  which,  auricular  confession 
to  priests  w«s  one.    (See  Mosheim,  vol,  2,  chap,  3.) 

22d,  That,  in  the  same  council,  (see  the  last,)  they  decreed,  .j| 


(3/.)  Mere  we  find,  tliat  provincinl  or  national,  and  general  councils 
were  established  as  early  as  A.  D.  401. 


Chap.  III.3    Memorable  Ecclesiastical  Enactments.  285 


that  '  secular  powers  should  be  compelled  by  church  censures, 
according  to  their  power,  to  destroy  all  heretics,  marked  by  the 
church,  found  within  their  jurisdiction.'  (Bruy's  Hist.  Pontif., 
vol.  3,  p.  148.) 

23d.  That,  excited  by  their  decrees,  Frederick  II.  issued 
his  edicts  for  the  extirpation  of  heretics  within  his  domains, 
declaring  that  he  would  not  suffer  wretches  to  live,  who  infect- 
ed the  world  with  their  false  doctrines  ;  and,  other  princes  fol- 
lowing the  example  of  Frederick,  inquisitorial  racks,  dun- 
geons, Jire,  sword,  blood  and  human  woe  became  the  order  of 
the  disorder  of  the  times,'  (Mosheim,) 

24ih.  That,  in  a  council  at  Rome,  with  Gregory  VIII.  at 
their  head,  they  decreed  as  follows:  'We,  following  the 
statutes  of  our  predecessors,  do,  by  our  apostolical  authority, 
absolve  all  those  from  their  oaih  of  fidelity  who  are  bound  to 
excommunicated  persons,  either  by  duty  or  oath.'  (See  De- 
cretals of  Gregory.) 

25th.  That,  with  the  pope  at  their  head,  they  decreed,  that 
'the  emperor  should  lead  the  pope's  horse,  carry  the  pope's 
chair,  and  bring  his  first  cup.'    (See  Sac.  Cer.  Rom.  Church.) 

26lh.  That,  in  the  council  of  Verona,  A.  D.  1184,  v.-i'h  the 
pope  at  their  head,  they  decreed,  '  that  each  bishop  should  be 
constituted  heresy  hunter  in  his  own  diocess.'  (Brownlee, 
p.  334.) 

27th.  That,  A.  D.  1325,  pope  Clemens  issued  an  edict, 
commanding  the  angels  to  convey  every  man's  soul  to  paradise 
who  died  by  tlie  way,  [in  the  crusades  ;1  and,  at  the  same  time, 
empowering  every  man  signed  with  the  cross  to  release  three 
or  four  soids  whom  he  should  choose  from  purgatory.  (Gil- 
lespie.) 

28ih.  That,  in  their  councils,  they  decreed,  that  the  conse- 
crating of  the  bread  in  the  eucharist  changed  it  into  the  real 
body  of  the  Lord  ;  and,  that  he  who  thence  eat  of  that  bread 
offered  the  Ijord,  an  unbloody  sacrifice,  to  God  the  Father,  to 
make  reconciliation.  (3  I)    (See  the  Trent  Catechism.) 

(31)  St.  Bernard  said,  'As  Christ  is  daily  offered  up,  while  we  do 
show  forth  his  death,  so  he  seemeth  to  be  born  when  we  faithfully  repre- 
•ent  his  nativity.'    (Brownlee,  p.  245  ) 

Justin  Martyr  (in  A.  D.  150)  said,  'I  affirm,  that  the  prayers  and 
praises  of  the  saints  are  the  only  perfect  sacrifices  acceptable  to  God. 
For,  these  only  have  the  Christians  undertaken  to  perform;  and,  by  the 
communication  of  the  bread  and  loine,  we  call  to  remembrance  the  suffer- 
ings which  the  God  of  gods  suffei-ed.    (Dialogue  with  Trypho,  p.  345.) 

Clemens  Alexandrinus  (A.  D.  229)  said,  that '  Our  altar  is  the  assem- 
bly and  fellowship  of  such  as  join  together  in  prayers;  having,  as  it  were, 
■  common  voice  and  mind.   For  the  sacrifice  of  the  church  is  the  Word 


286 


Statute-making  Principle  Assumed.     [E.  Art.  4, 


29th.  That,  in  the  fifth  council  of  Lateran,  with  the  pope  at 
their  head,  they  decreed,  that  he  (the  pope)  was  absolutely  in- 
fallible— the  vicegerent  and  representative  of  God  ;  and,  that  he 
possessed  power  above  all  powers  heavenly  or  earthly.  (See 
Brownlee,  pp.  295,  296.) 

30th.  That,  in  council,  with  pope  Innocent  III.  at  their 
head,  they  decreed,  that  all  magistrates  who  should  interpose 
against  ecclesiastical  persons,  whether  it  be  for  murder  or  high 
treason,  shall  be  excommunicated ;  and,  that  no  judge  may 
condemn  a  priest,  on  pain  of  excommunication.  (Brownlee.) 

31st.  That,  in  the  council  of  Basil,  A.  D.  1412,  they  decreed, 
that  the  Virgin  Mary  was  born  without  original  sin  !  (Gillespie.) 

ascending  as  incense  from  Iwly  souls,  their  whole  minds  being  open  to  God. 
(^Stromatum,  p.  717.) 

Tfrtulliav  said,  '  We  must  offer  to  God  spiritual  sacrifices;  for  it  is 
spiritual  sacrifices  that  are  meant  and  intended  in  the  Word;  and  a  con- 
trite heart  is  there  shown  to  be  an  acceptable  saciifice  to  God.'  (Against 
Judaism,  p.  188.) 

Lactantius  said, '  There  are  two  things  which  should  be  offered  to  God 
a  gift  and  a  sacrifice;' — '  to  Gixt  is  to  be  offered  the  incorporeal  offering 
which  he  makes  use  of.  That  if,  the  gijl  of  integrity  of  heart,  and  the 
sacrifice  of  praise,  and  a  hymn. 

St.  Ignatius  observed,  '  Do  yon  then,  resuming  long-suffering,  re-estab- 
lish yourselves  in  failh  which  is  the  blood  of  (Christ  our  Lord,  and  in  love 
which  is  Ilis  JJesk.''    (See  his  epistles.) 

St.  Hillarv  said,  that  '  tlie  saciament  of  the  heavenly  Bread  is  re- 
ceived in  the  faith  of  the  resurrection.'    (Page  531.) 

St.  Ambhose  said,  '  The  sacrament  is  a  similitude ;  it  is  the  figure  of  the 
glorious  body  and  precious  blood  of  the  Lord.'    (On  the  Sacrament.) 

EustBius  says, '  lie  [llie  Lord]  gave  his  disciples  the  symbols  of  the 
divine  economy.     (Brownlee,  p.  2.38.) 

St.  Cvrii,  of  Jeruiialem  said,  that  '  in  tasting,  you  arc  not  ordered  to 
taste  of  the  bread  and  wine,  but  of  the  antitype  of  the  body  and  blood  of 
the  Lord.    (Finch,  p.  202.) 

OniGKN  said,  that '  There  is  in  the  New  Testament  a  letter  which  killeth 
him  who  doe?  not  understand  spiritually  tlie  things  there  said.  For,  if 
you  t.ike  this  according  to  the  letter — Except  ye  eat  my  Jicsh  and  drink  fny 
blood — THIS  letter  KiixtTHp    (On  Lev.  x.) 

Bfunard  (again)  said ,  '  What  is  it  to  eat  his  flesh  ard  drink  his  blood, 
but  to  communicate  wth  his  passion  and  imitate  his  conversation  in  the 
flesh?'    (Willet,  p.  510.) 

Jeuomk  said,  '  The  flesh  of  the  Lord  is  true  meat,  and  his  blood  is  true 
drink,  in  an  exalted  and  spiritual  sense.  I  believe,  that  the  gospel  is  Vie 
body  of  the  J^rd,  and  the  doctrines  thereof  are  his  blood.'  To  eat  and 
drink  unworthily,  is  as  if  '  the  word  of  Christ  and  his  blood  were  poured 
into  our  ears,  while  we  wore  thinking  of  something  else'  (On  Psalm  147.) 

AiiousTiNE  said,  that  'the  teachings  of  the  Lord  to  his  disciplfs  were 
as  if  he  had  said  to  them,  '  Understand  spiritualty  what  I  have  spoken — 
believe,  and  you  will  have  eaten  of  the  living  bread.  You  are  not  to  eat 
this  body  which  you  see;  nor  drink  that  blood  which  they  shall  shed, 
who  shall  crucify  nic.  I  have  recommended  to  3'ou  a  sacramtnty  which 
if  spiritually  understood,  shall  quicken  you.'    (On  Psalm  98.) 


Chap.  III.]     Memorable  Catholic  Enactments. 


287 


32d.  That,  in  ihe  council  of  Florence,  A.  D.  1438,  they  de- 
creed a  purgatory,  and  various  things  concerning  it ;  as,  for 
example,  that  it  is  25502  miles  below  tlie  earth's  surface,  and 
15,750  miles  above  hell,  the  central  cavity  of  the  earth  !  (3  m) 
(Edgar,  p.  536.) 

33d.  That,  in  the  council  of  Constance,  A.  D.  1414,  they 
decreed,  that  'If  any  |)erson  shall  presume  to  violate  the  statutes 
and  ordinances  of  the  holy  councils,  he  shall  be  deprived  of  all 
dignities,  estates,  honors,  offices,  and  benefices  ecclesiastical 
and  secular,  whether  lie  be  emperor,  king  or  cardinal;  that  no 
faitii  sliould  be  kept  with  heretics;  (Bruce's  Free  Thoughts,  p. 
120;)  and  that,  in  agreement  witii  these  decrees,  Charles  V. 
received  a  dispensation  to  break  his  coronation  oath,  and  thence 
to  turn  the  Moors  of  Spain  over  to  the  Inquisition.  (Geddes, 
vol,  1,  p.  36.) 

34th.  That,  in  the  edict  of  pope  Innocent  VIII.,  A.  D.  1487, 
it  was  decreed,  that  '  Catholics  might  seize  upon  and  possess 
the  goods  of  heretics  ;'  that,  'if  bound  to  them  by  contract,  it 
must  not  be  fulfilled  ;'  and  that,  '  the  inquisitors  were  the  min- 
isters of  vengeance  charged  with  the  execution  of  these  san- 
guinary laws.'    (Brownlee,  p.  335.) 


(3  m)  From  Archbishop  Usher  we  learn,  that,  at  this  council  the  depu- 
ties or  delegates  ot  the  Greek  church  gave  in  their  solemn  dissent  fiom 
the  Latin  church's  purgatory;  and,  that  they  exclaimed,  'A  purgatory 
by  fire,  that  is  temporal,  and  shall  have  an  end,  we  have  neither  received 
from  our  doctors,  nor  do  we  know  that  the  church  in  the  East  receives  it 
adding, '  No  small  fear  doth  trouble  us,  lest  by  admitting  a  temporary 
fire,  both  penal  and  purgatory,  we  shall  destroy  the  full  consent  of  the 
church!  Hence  we  have  never  aflirnied,  nor  shall  we  ever  affirm  it.' 
But  from  the  same  author  we  learn,  that '  The  crafty  Latin  attempted  to 
cajole  and  entrap  the  Greek  deputies  by  alleging,  that  '  for  the  sake  of 
peace  and  unity  in  the  church,  the  Greek  delegation  ought  at  least  to 
admit  of  a  purgatory  without  Jire.''  Nevertheless,  that  '  the  Greeks  re- 
jected with  indignation  a  purgatory  of  any  form,  fire  or  ice,  wherein  to 
torment  the  souls  of  men  for  a  time.'    (Pages  132,  182.) 

It  is  said,  that  the  efficacy  of  priestly  masses  in  behalf  of  the  soul  sup- 
posed to  be  detained  in  purgalorial  flames,  is  purely  in  proportion  to  the 
amount  of  cash  paid;  that,  when  the  gold  and  silver  are  heard  to  tinkle 
in  the  coffer,  a  solemn  absolution  is  pronounced  forthwith  on  the  poor 
wretch  in  flames;  that,  forthwith  at  the  simple  nod  of  the  priest,  as  he 
pockets  the  money,  all  the  demons  and  the  devil  himself — so  the  priest 
«ays — quit  their  hold ;  and  that  thus  the  pure  soul,  (in  defiance  of  what 
Peter  taught,  1  Pet.,  i.  18,)  being  now  redeemed  by  such  corruptible  things 
as  silver  and  gold,  immediately  wings  his  flight  to  heaven — to  Abraham's 
bosom ! 

As  touching  a  middle  state  in  the  world  of  spirits,  Lactantics  taught, 
that '  men  are  not  immediately  judged  after  they  leave  this  world,  but 
that  they  are  detained  in  one  common  custody  till  the  time  arrives  when 
the  Supreme  Judge  examines  their  merits-'    (Tom.  1,  p.  574.) 


288  The  Law-making  Principle  Assumed.    [E.  Art.  4, 


35th.  That,  in  the  council  of  Trent,  they  decreed,  that 
penance  is  a  sacrament;  that  each  Roman  Catholic  must  go 
to  his  priest  at  least  once  a  year  for  confession,  penance,  and 
pardon,  [absolution  and  that  if  any  one  should  say,  that  the 
absolution  of  the  priest  is  not  a  judicial  act,  but  only  a  naked 
declaration  that  sins  are  remitted,  provided  the  person  confessing 
only  believes,  etc.,  let  him  be  accursed.      n)  (Brownlee.) 

36th.  That,  in  the  ninth  century,  they  established  actual 
image  worship  ;  that,  in  A.  D.  1070,  they  prohibited  marriage 
in  relation  to  their  own  order ;  and  that,  in  the  council  of  Con- 
stance, they  prohibited  the  cup  of  the  eucharist  from  the  men 
of  the  church  whom  they  called  the  profane  laitv.  (See  Brown- 
lee, p.  152.) 

37th.  That,  in  the  chancery  lax  book,  called  apostolical,  they 
have  laid  down  prices  for  every  species  or  class  of  sins,  by 
which  penance  in  all  cases  may  be  dispensed  with  at  a  regular 
tariff,  of  from  twenty-five  cents  to  five  liundred  dollars  !  (See 
XIV.  Sess.  of  Trent.) 

(3n)  Auricular  confession,  peiiiuice  and  absolution,  alonfr  with  tr;uis- 
substaiitiation  and  the  sacrifice  of  the  n)ass,  [Corpus  Christi,]  (see  n.  55, 
art,  43,)  were  all  established  in  the  first  place,  about  ihe  hegiuning  of  the 
tiiirteenth  century.  As  touching  .dwicular  Confession,  Penance,  etc.,  let 
us  have  the  fathers. 

Augustine  said,  '  Hast  thou  oflTended  thy  brother'!  Make  satisfaction 
to  him;  but  satisfaction  to  God,  neither  he  nor  we  acknowledge.  (See 
Serm.  XVI.  on  Matt,  x.) 

Jeuome  says,  '  Bishops  and  presbyters,  not  understanding  the  Scriptures, 
assunie  to  themselves  the  arrogance  of  pharisees,  so  far  as  they  iuiagine 
that  they  may  condemn  the  innocent  and  absolve  the  guilty ;  whereas 
God  looks  not  at  the  sentence  of  priests,  but  at  th3  life  of  man,  w  hether 
guilty  or  innocent;'  and  that  'in  the  case  of  leprosy,  under  the  law,  the 
priest  fulfilled  his  office  by  simply  declaring  what  was,  and  what  was  not 
leprosy.'    (On  I\Iatt.  xvi.) 

CunvsosTOM  says, '  Is  it  necessary  to  confess  your  sins  before  witnesses? 
— let  God  alone  see  thee  confessing;' — 'angels  themselves  cannot  operate 
any  of  the  things  given  from  God.'    (On  John  sx.) 

BASii-says,  'Let  the  true  laivgivcr  come — the  powerful  Saviour;  he 
alone  having  the  power  to  forgive  sins,'    (On  Isaiah,  vi.) 

Cybil  says,  '  Whom  does  it  befit  to  release  the  violators  of  the  law, 
but  the  Author  of  the  law  himself  V    (On  John,  xii.) 

Clemens  Alex.  (A.  D.  250)  says, '  He  alone  who  was  appointed  to  be 
our  Lord  and  Master  by  the  Father  of  all,  can  forgive  sins;  since  he  alone 
can  distinguish  between  obedience  and  disobedience.'  (Page  116.) 

JcnoME  (again)  says,  •  The  priest  is  somcUiing  as  to  the  ministry — the 
dispensation  of  the  VVord  and  sacraments;  but  nothing  as  to  the  purifying 
and  justifying  of  the  sinner ;  for  none  works  that  in  the  inner  man,  but  He 
who  created  the  whole  man.    (See  Bishop  Taylor,  p.  587.) 

Luther  says,  '  If  ever  the  Lord  had  ordained  penance,  he  would  have 
enforced  it  in  the  case  of  the  woman  convicted  of  adultery;  (John,  viii.;) 
but  he  required  of  her  no  penance — no  satisfaciion  for  her  sin !  He  only 
sealed  her  pardon,  and  added,  ' go  and  sin  no  more.''  Hence  no  satisfaction 
for  sin  by  us  is  required  in  the  Scriptures.' ' 


Chap.  III.]     Catholic  Enaclmcnts — Memorable. 


289 


38tli.  That  they  laid  innumerable  snares  in  every  direction 
in  which  lo  catcli  men,  so  that  ihey  might  have  the  honor  of 
liberatinfT  them  again  for  money.  Take  one  example  out  of 
thousands : — They  decreed,  th;ii,  without  a  ilispensation  from 
the  pope,  no  man  should  marry  within  the  sevenili  degree  ;  and, 
that  concerning  which  they  say,  '  graces  and  dispensaiions  of 
this  kind  are  not  conceded  to  the  poor,  because  they  have  no 
means;  therefore  they  cannot  be  comforted.'  (See  Brownlee, 
p.  354.)    And  finally, 

39ih.  Tiiat  they  exalted  their  head  (ihe  pope)  to  such  enor- 
mous degree,  tiiat  neither  prince,  nor  bishop,  nor  ecclesiastic  of 
any  grade,  dare  exercise  any  power  in  church  or  st;ile,  but  what 
they  derived  from  him!  (3o)    (Newton  on  Proph.) 

But,  the  articles  here  adduced,  taken  in  conneciion  wilh  those 
adduced  under  numbers  48,  49,  51  and  55,  are  but  as  a  very 
few  cups  from  the  mighty  ocean  of  lesiimony  which  might 
wilh  equal  prnpriety  be  adduced  to  show,  that  the  Caiholic 
clergy  diJ  indeed,  after  the  example  of  the  wicked  kings  of 
Israel,  adopt  the  principle,  that  man  may  judicially  determine 
and  aulhoriiatively  establish  laws  of  fjiui  and  order  for  the  men 
of  the  church  ;  and,  that  they  carried  out  that  principle  wilh  a 
high  hand. 

227.  Having  then  seen  that  the  proposition  is  true,  as  re- 
ferred to  the  Caiholic  clergy,  let  us,  in  the  next  place,  see 
whether  it  is  also  true,  as  referred  to  the  clergy  of  the  Reformed 
church.  But,  that  it  may  be  seen  lo  be  equ.dly  true  in  both 
cases,  it  is  but  necessary  to  examine  tlie  sentiments  and  eriact- 
.ments  of  the  Reformed  clergV)  as  they  themselves  have  recorded 
them  in  the  annals  of  the  church  ;  and  from  wiiich  are  adduced 
the  articles  wliich  here  follow. 

1st.  They  teach,  that  the  gracious  Redeemer  does  not  re- 
quire, or  even  permit,  that  the  rule  of  faith  for  the  men  of  the 
church  should  be  thai,  which,  accordmg  to  their  own  under- 
standing, each  for  himself,  ihey  have  conceived  lo  be  the  mind 
of  the  Holy  Spirit ; — that  the  only  and  sufficient  rule  of  faith  and 
practice  is  the  Woid  ; — that  the  Word  is  not  obscure  and  hard 
to  be  understood  ;  and,  that  ihe  only  judge  and  interpreter  of 
the  Word — thus  of  tlie  rule  of  faith — is  the  Holy  Ghost  speak- 

(3o)  hi  uwiii  e  5t,lle^,  lli.it  pope  CLEMiiNT  XI.  from  the  |  leiiilmie  of  his 
power  created  four  saints  in  one  (lav,  for  each  of  which  he  received  one 
hundred  tlioij«;iii<l  crowns!  ;  nd  faither,  that  the  hicr;Uive  dogma  of  the 
invocation  of  saints  was  not  fixed  as  an  article  of  faiih  until  the  ninth 
century. 

25 


2^0  Assumption  by  the  Reformed  Clergy.     [E.  Art.  i. 


ing  in  it,  clearly  and  plainly  to  the  understanding ;  and, 
therefore  also,  that  it  is  the  inierpretation  and  judgment  of  the 
Holy  Ghost  speaking  in  the  Word,  which  coiisiiiutes  the  real 
canons  or  articles  of  faith — ihe  real  creed,  and  the  real  expres- 
sion of  the  rule  of  faith  of  the  Refoimed  church.  (Brownlee, 
p.  58,  13.) 

2d.  They  teach,  that  the  bishops  and  elders  of  the  Reformed 
church  (that  is,  themselves.)  are  authorized  to  meet  in  councils 
or  synods,  and  thence  to  emit  their  canons  or  confessions  of 
faith;  (the  expression  of  the  rule  of  faith:) — that  they,  being 
the  public  officers  of  the  ciuirch  thereunto  appointeil,  therefore 
their  interpretations,  in  the  form  of  ariicles  &f  faiih,  are  not  pri- 
vate interpretations,  but  the  public  [ainhorit-itive~j  expression 
of  the  mind  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  speaking  in  the  IVord ; — that 
their  design,  in  exhibiting  tlieir  expression  of  the  rule  of  faith, 
is  to  the  end,  that  all  heretics  miglit  ihcnce  be  excluded  from 
the  church  ; — that  it  is  by  no  means  sufficient  for  a  man  to 
take  the  Word,  as  it  is,  for  the  rale  of  his  faith,  unless  he 

ALSO  TAKE  IT  IN  THE  PRECISE  SENSE  AND  MEANING  IN  WHICH 
THEY    THEMSELVES    HAVE    INTERPRE  lED    AND   EXPRESSED  IT  IN 

THEIR  CANONS  OR  CONFESSIONS  OF  FAITH  ; — and  finally,  they 
leach,  that,  if  their  articles  of  faith  were  wholly  expressed  in 
scripture  language,  they,  in  such  case,  would  be  no  test  by 
which  to  detect  heretics,  whom  it  is  made  their  duty  to  test, 
detect  and  exclude,  according  to  1  John,  iv.  1.  (3p)  (Bro-wu- 
lee,  p.  13,  14.) 

(3  p")  Dr.  McLiiin,  speaking  of  the  firsl  roforracrs,  says,  "Thev  never  at- 
teniided  to  work  miracIc!;,  iior  pleaded  a  divine  eominis  ion;  nor  ilid  tliey  even 
lay  riaiiri  to  any  extraordinary  vocation.  '  And  Dr.  Miisfieim  says,  "They 
were  condufted  only  liy  ihe  ."^ugse^itions  of  iheir  own  natural  sagacity. '  (v.  4, 
p.  29-1,  295  and  appendix,  p  143  ) 

Is  it  not  p  issing  stranjio,  that  men  who  lay  no  chim  to  superior  illumination 
In  spiritual  things  should,  nevertheless,  claim  thai  their  inierpretation  of  the 
Word,  and  tlieir  expression  of  it  thence  in  llie  form  of  articles  of  faith,  and  the 
inlerpretatioii  judgnient  or  mind  of  the  Holy  Ghost  speaking  in  the  Word,  arc 
one  nnd  f/ie  sdiiie  in  sinsr.*»icE,  i-owkr  ano  kloktI 

The  Reformed  Clergy  a.'^sert,  in  the  first  place,  that  the  Holy  Ghost  is  the 
alone  interpreter  of  ttie  Word,  which  is  the  rule  of  faith  and  |ira  lice  for  all, 
end  that  he  speaks  pla  nly  and  infnilihiy  to  the  understanding  of  all :  and  in 
the  second  place,  they  iissert  (virtually)  that  it  appertains  to  them  to  interpret, 
judge,  and  fix  the  expression  of  the  rule  of  faith,  not  in  the  la-ncuage  of  the 
Word,  hut  in  their  oi\n  Innsiuage,  and  thence  exclude  ns  heretics  all  who  lake 
the  Word  as  their  rule  of  faith,  otherwise  ih.in  in  the  phkcise  sknsk  anb 
MTANINO  in  which  they  have  interpreted  and  expressed  it.  And  who  cannot 
see  lh.it,  thus  as.serting,  and  thus  te.u  hing,  they  would  have  the  worM  to  be- 
lieve, that  tlieinse't'Ct  and  the  Hoti/  O/iosI  make  one,  even  as  the  soul  and  body 
make  iineT  Who  knows  not  that  Uivine  Order  requires,  that  every  and  each 
man  may  go  freely  to  the  Word  of  the  Lord,  so  that  the  Lord  may  thence 


€hap.  III.]     Reformed  Expression  of  Failh.  291 


3d.  They  teach,  that  it  is  the  province  of  the  general  synod 
— the  members  of  which  are  none  others  tlinn  themselves — to 
decide  questions  respecting  doctrine  [failh]  and  disciiiline.  ('Sq) 
^See  Cons.  Asso.  Ref.  Church.) 

speak  com  fori  al)ly  to  him  through  the  mrdium  of  his  own  uiitlersiamliiig — 
th>'s.to  the  cnd.-ihat  the  ixpre.isidi  of  liis  (aith  ihence  may  he  in  accordance 
with  Ills  own  understanding,  whtthcr  it  be  in  accordance  willi  that  ot  other 
iri(  n  or  otherwise!  But  this  result  of  Divine  order  is  shunned  liy  the  Retorm- 
cd  Clcrg:^',  as  though  it  were  a  very  Ch«iituuis  in  the  midst  of  their  fea  of 
earthly  gloty ;  and,  as  though  it  we're  indeed  the  grave  itsell  of  all  that  earthly 
dignifica'ion,  worsliips  and  glory,  which,  instead  of  heaven  and  the  order  thetnce, 
they  have  srt  conliipually  heforc  ihcir  eyes. 

In  shunning  the  Charybdis  of  individual  judgment,  (which  they  falsely  call 
privale  intci prcliilidti,')  in  the  ihinss  of  failh,  and  the  fermentation  and  commo- 
tion which  ihey  assert  would  thence  flow,  they  fall  ofl' thrmselvcs  into  the  very 
jaws  of  the  Scylla  of  papal  inventions,  domination,  and  aliominalion  thence,— 
which  the V  nulensiblfi  hold  in  utter  ahhorrencc  and  detestation.* 

The  Cal/in/ic  cltrgy  assert,  that  the  true  f  dth  of  the  church  is  iheh  inter- 
pretation of  the  Word,  as  given  in  iheir  own  exprea'-.iims-  making  one  with 
the  interpretation,  mind,  and  will  of  thvir  g/iu>t/i/  pope — w  hom  they  suppose 
to  be  (H/v^/.-We— speaking  in  the  chair  of  M  Peter;  and  the  Hefonncd  c/ergy 
assert,  that  the  iruc  expression  of  the  rul  ■  of  failh  of  the  church,  consists  in  their 
interpretation  of  the  Word,  as  exp.cssed  iti  their  articles  of  I'nilh,  and  which, 
they  further  assert,  makes  one  with  the  intcrprctati(>.n,  mind,  and  will  of  the 
Hull/  G/(i-«/ speaking  in  the  Word  plainly  an  i  infill  biy  \  whence,  he  that 
has  an  ear  to  hear  must  needs  perceive,  that  the  rule  of  liiith  with  both  is  essen- 
tially the  same. 

(3  q)  It  is  here  said,  •■'■nrmc  afhers  than  themsehcf"  for  it  is  laid  down  in 
the  Viiedory  of  the  Reformed  church  as  follows:  " — because  the  office  of  a 
minister  includes  that  ol  elder,  iheref.ire  a  presbytery  (and  consequently  a  Sy- 
nod) may  be  consliliited  of  mini-ters  alone  without  elders.'' 

The  tyrant  has  no  need  to  openly  disannul  the  laws  made  to  maintain  the 
common  liberty  of  the  ))eo[de  —  provided,  he  can  but  succeed  in  obtaining  the 
power  and  authorily  to  interpret  them  as  he  pleases;  and  to  add  to  them 
what  he  pleases;  and  then  to  have  his  inlerprelaiions  and  additions  stand  for 
lawF.  .And,  in  agreement  with  this,  it  is  quite  rational  to  conclude,  that  the 
Reformed  clergy,  in  going  about  to  establish  tyranny  over  men's  consciences, 
discovered  that  there  was  no  need  either  to  aliolish  or  corrupt  the  Holy  Scrip- 
tures—involving the  genuine  laws  of  all  'rue  christi  n  liberty;  and,  that  the 
way,  most  likely  to  be  successful,  was,  if  possible,  lo  get  themselves  to  be 
considered  the  public  [authorized]  inlerprelers  of  them; — whence,  they 
might  virtually  add  to  ihein  what  doctrines  they  pleased,  under  the  title 
of  Plain  and  iiecexsary  tcripture  cimscrjuence^.' — scripture  doctrines-,  in  the 
shape  of  articles  of  faMh,  to  be  called,  in  the  complex,  tfie  expression  or  confes- 
sion of  faith.'  It  were  easy  for  them  to  discover  that,  by  this  means,  they 
might  serve  themselves  of  all  such  passages  of  scripture  as  might  be  drawn  to 
cast  a  fuvoralile  countenance  upon  these  ambitious  pretences;  hut  which,  in 
case  they  should  abolish  the  5^:  iptures,  as  the  Catholic  clergy  had  done  before 
them,  they  could  not  do.  .And  it  required  but  a  small  share  of  Jesuitical  skill 
^o  discover,  that  when  it  should  become  settled  in  the  minds  of  men,  that  un- 

*Dire  Scylla  there  a  scene  of  horror  tonus. 
And  here  Charybdis  fills  the  deep  with  storms. 

(■See  Horn.  Odyis.  book  IZ.) 


292 


Beformed  Statute-makers.  [E.  Art.  4, 


4th.  They  teach,  that  their  decrees  and  determhiaiions  in 
synod  or  convention.  ICP"  if  cnnsiinant  with  the  Wojd,  ^JZA 
are  to  be  received  with  reverence  and  submission,  not  only  for 
their  agreement  with  the  Word,  but  also  for  the  power  whereby 
they  are  made,  as  being  an  ordinance  of  God  appointed  there- 
unto in  his  Word,  (^r)    (See  Con.  Faith,  Edin.  ed.,  p.  169.) 

written  doctrine.-,  expressions  of  faith,  &c.,  if  proposed  by  tht  uiselves,  were  to 
be  received  as  the  true  faith  itself,  thus  with  equ.U  reverence  with  the  Word 
itself,  ai  d,  that  the  sense  of  the  Holy  Sriptures  was  not  that  whii  h  seemed  to 
men's  reason  and  understanding  to  be  so.  hut,  that  which  Ihfv  siiould  declare 
to  be  so, — that  then  it  would  necessarily  result,  that  the  t^criptures.  instead  of 
being  their  judges  and  directors,  would  iminrdiaiely  become  their  servants  and 
instruments— always  staniling  ready  to  advance  their  designs; — and  linally, 
that  in  such  cases  it  would  be  perfectly  safe  to  put  a  crown  upon  their  head,  and 
a  reed  into  their  han'Js.  and  to  bow  the  knee  before  them,  and  cry  :  Hail  King 
of  the  Jews! — To  pretend  a  great  deal  of  esteem,  respect,  and  reverence  for 
them! 

(3  It  is  here  said,  " — >/ consnnanf  with  the  Word; — but  respec  ing  which, 
the  important  question  arises,  namely,  whom  do  the  Reformed  clergy  intend 
shall  be  the  judge  of  the  co/is'^nanrr/  or  inciri.fiiticmcy  of  their  decrees  or  dcter- 
njinations  with  the  Word  ?  Do  they  mean  that  each  man  shall  be  the  judge 
for  himself  of  their  agreement  or  discrepancy  with  the  Word  ;  and  thence  re- 
ceive or  reject  them  accordingly?  By  no  nu  ans ;  for  this,  they  a.s.<ert,  would 
be  nothing  less  than  the  setting  up  of  private  judgement  and  interpretation 
against  public  authority,  an^t,  in  a  word,  the  judginent  of  the  laity  ug.iinstthe 
clergy!  Whence,  liecause  the  Reformed  clergy  could  never  away  with  each 
man  judging  for  himself  in  spiritual  things;  ihrrelbre  it  is,  that  they  never  in- 
tended that  the  cun.'xmaoci/  of  their  dogmas  with  the  Word  should  lie  establish- 
ed by  the  power  of  judging  freely, — but,  cor.trariwise,  by  the  civil  power — by 
arms  of  flesh,  carnal  weapons,  and  brute  force.  That  such  is  really  the  case 
becomes  evident  from  this,  that  whenever  and  wherever  the  Reformed  clergy 
could  get  their  dogmas  eftabli>hed,  as  consonant  with  the  Word,  by  the  arm 
of  civil  power,  the  judgment  of  the  men  of  the  church  was  .scarcely  ever  en- 
quired after  or  re  arded.  The  Scottish  Parliament,  under  clerical  iiifluenc*, 
in  A.  U.  1647,  enacted  ,lhat  the  confession  of  laith  (from  which  the  article  in 
question  is  quoted)  should  liecoine  llie  law  i  f  land;  and,  also,  that  ali  things 
contained  in  it  were  eonsonaiit  with  the  U  or  l.  'I'he  fol  owing  i>  an  extract 
from  the  act  in  question,  " — and  the  .Assembly  doth,  therefore,  after  mature 
delilieration,  agree  unto  and  approve  sa  d  Confissiun — judging  it  to  be  most 
agreeable  to  the  Word  of  God  and  most  orthodox  ;  and  doth  also  bless  the 
Lord,  in  that  so  excellent  a  confession  [exp  cssioii]  of  fa;th  is  prepared  and 
thus  far  agreed  upon,  etc."  But  again,  the  »  ay  that  the  Reformed  clergy  regard 
the  judgmci  t  of  the  church  in  relation  to  the  consonancy  of  their  decrees  and 
deterjuinalions  with  the  Word,  may  be  farther  seen  from  this,  that  in  the  Cun- 
fesKion  fif  Faith  thus  established  by  the  civil  arm  ol  power,  as  has  just  been 
noticed,  we  find  the  following  clerical  decree :  '"If  any  man,  under  pretence  of 
chri^^tian  liberty,  shall  publish  o[)inions  contrary  to  the  priiicipl  s  of  Chris- 
tianity, [contrary  to  the  interpretations  of  the  cl.  rgy]  or  contrary  to  the 
external  order  that  Christ  has  established  in  the  church,  [which  the  clergy 
h»ve  established,  etc.]  such  man  shall  be  proceeded  against  by  the  cen- 
sures of  the  church,  and  by  the  power  of  the  civil  magistrate.''  (Lou,  Faith, 
Edin.  ed.) 


Chap.  III.]        Consonancy  tvUh  the  Word. 


293 


5lh.  Thoy  teacli,  Uiat  when  the  Lord  ascended  up  on  liigh, 
he  pave  the  gift  of  ilie  keys  of  the  kin<,'doni  of  heaven  to  all  the 
apostles,  to  the  end  that  liiey  iniglit  reign  and  rule  over  the 
church;  and,  that  the  apostles  iransmiticd  the  same  keys  to 
their  successors,  whose  successors  they  (the  Reformed  clergy) 
claim  to  be.  ('is)    (See  Con.  Faith,  Edin.  ed.,  pp.  166  to  170.) 

This  ilecree,  JiJong  wilh  the  rest  of  tlie  tilings  contained  in  the  Confession 
of  Failh,  instead  of  being  uiljndv^cd  by  the  chu  ch  to  bi;  consonant  wilh  the 
Word,  was  nuuh  so  by  tlic  arm  of  civil  power — at  that  time  the  obsequious 
iiislruinenl  and  tool  of  tlie  Hoformed  rlor^ry,  by  which  they  executed  tlicir  de- 
crees, and  lirought  to  pass  ali  the  grievousness  and  sin  whicli  tliey  liad  foreor- 
dained. Wherefore,  to  hiin  wiio  halh  an  car  to  hear  il  must  needs  be  evident, 
that  the  Reformed  clera;y.  in  providing  exconiniunicalion,  and  in  ))reparing  tho 
fire  and  sword  of  tlie  civil  magistrate  fir  all  such  as  should  dare  to  openly  op- 
pose their  decisions,  determinations  and  decrees, —  instead  of  being  actuated  by 
a  desire,  that  each  man  of  the  church  should  be  left  in  perfect  freedom  to  judge 
of  the  consonancy  of  their  decrees  wilh  the  Word,  and  thence  to  receive  or 
reject  tlicni  in  accordance  viith  his  own  understanding — were  rather  actuated 
by  a  desire  that  all  men  should  bring  their  reason  and  unilerslanding  under  obe- 
dience to  llieir  decrees,  and  inrnce  siibinifsii'fh/  and  revirenih/  bow  down  hi  fore 
them;  and  specially  on  account  of  the  aulhorily  of  the  clergy,  v\ho  framed  and 
foreordained  them — who,  from  an  ardent  desire  that  their  decrees  or  command- 
ments might  he  taiiglil  and  received  as  the  doctrines  of  the  Word — in  defimce 
of  the  Word  itself — leaching  that  the  worship  which  consists  in  teaching  for 
the  doctrines  of  ihe  Word,  the  commandments  of  men,  is  ullcrly  a  false  and 
vain  worship;  and  that  it  is  a  vain  ihing  to  (ea  -h  the  fear  of  the  Lord  by  the 
precepts  of  men,    (See  Isa.  29  ch.  and  Mat.  15lh.) 

But  the  reverence  and  submission  required  by  the  Reformed  clergy  to  their 
decrees,  dogmas,  etc.,  thus  to  themselves  may  be  seen  siill  plainer  from  ihis, 
that  they  provided,  according  to  the  length  of  ihe  civil  chain,  lhat  none  should 
be  permitted  to  teach  or  preach  the  Word  but  such  as  would,  under  solemn 
oalh  declare,  that  they  believe  the  WQril  to  be  the  true  and  ordy  rule  of  faith, 
and  the  Cunfcssion  of  Faith  to  be  the  only  true  expression  of  faith;  and  that 
they  will  abide  by  it  to  llieir  life's  end.  But  what  is  certainly  remarkttble  is, 
that  he  who  lakes  the  nulh  (f  fadty  just  noticed,  essentially  disclaims  the 
scriptures  of  truth  as  conlainiiig  the  expression  or  form  of  faith — thus  of  Ihe 
truth  itself;  and  llience  only  receives  them  as  a  rah,  which  none  but  the  cler- 
gy may  investigate,  and  by  which  they  ulint  may  determine  and  decree,  from 
the  imagination  of  Ihe  thoughts  of  their  own  hearts,  the  true  expression  or 
form  of  failh — and  thus  of  the  truth  itself.  Such  a  man  disclaims  the  Word 
as  being  the  way  of  heaven  for  all,  and  receives  il  onty  us  a  finger  pointing  in 
that  direction  for  the  alone  use  of  the  cleigy  ;  and  he  disriaims  it,  as  conlain- 
HJg  divine  problems,  involving  heavenly  answers  within,  and  receives  it  oidy 
as  containing  a  set  of  rules  and  definitions  for  the  c/c'/ijy  ulonc.  by  the  aid  of 
«>hich  they  may  solve  the  problems  arising  in  their  own  imaginations  from  the 
tliought  of  the  heart,  and  ihence  br"ng  oul  and  exhibil  the  value  of  xmki.own, 
quauiities  [of  wrath]  in  divers  forms  and  express.ons  if  faith.' 

(3  a)  In  the  same  edition  of  the  Confession  of  Failh,  the  Reformed  clery 
teach  that  "Clirist  hath  instituted  governors,  ecilesiaslical,  by  which  to  govern 
his  church,  and  that  to  that  end  that  apostles  received  the  keys  of  the  kingdoin 
of  heaven  from  the  han  I  of  Jesus  Christ,  and  exercised  the  use  of  thein  in  all 
the  churches."    (p.  575.) 

25* 


294         Rules  InvesHgable  only  by  the  Clergy.    [Et  Art.  4, 


6th.  They  teach,  tlrat  the  charge  and  office  of  interpreting 
the  Holy  Scriptures  belongs  exclusively  to  themselves;  and 

Here,  in  defiance  of  the  Word, — wiiicn  places  the  government  of  the  church 
upo  i  the  ihouldrrs  of  Christ,  her  king,  and  which  makes  the  keys  of  heaven 
consisi  in  the  power  and  omnipotence  of  divine  truth  flowing  from  the  Lord, — 
the  Rcf  )rraed  c'ergv  do  n  ithing  less  than  strike  hands  with  the  papaJ  hierarchy 
—justify  it,  and  become  surety  for  it.  The  only  difference  between  the  pa^al 
and  Kef  limed  clergy,  in  the  case  in  qu -stion.  is,  that  the  former  teach  that  the 
keys  of  the  kingdom,  and  the  government  thence  descended  only  by  the  way 
of  Peter,  and  thence  liy  the  way  of  popes  as  his  successors  ;  while  the  latter 
teach  that  the  keys  of  the  kingdom,  and  the  gov.  rnmcnt  thence,  descended  by 
the  w^y  of  all  llie  apostles,  and  thence  descends  by  tlie  way  of  the  members 
of  Synods  and  Presbyteries  as  their  successors. 

But  heie,  perhaps  it  will  be  said,  ttiat  many  of  the  sentiments  of  the  old 
reformers  were  iral>ibed  from  their  iiopish  progenitors,  in  whose  cradles  they 
had  been  rocked,  on  whose  knees  they  had  dandled,  and  upon  who.^e  breasts 
they  had  hung  ;  but  that  modern  Reformers  have  abandoned  the  sentiments  of 
their  forrfjlheis,  and  especial'y  those  in  relation  to  the  keys  of  the  kingdolu 
of  heaven,  so  tenaciously  adhered  to  by  every  Roman  pontiff. 

NeverthrKs-  .that  the  sentiments  of  the  Reformed  clergy  remain  essentially 
the  ii,am>-  to  lliis  day,  and  especially  in  relation  lo  the  keys  in  question,  and 
their  government  thence,  may  be  seen  from  their  creeds  and  caiechisms  yet 
remaiiiing  in  full  force  and  virtue,  couccrniiig  which  power  it  is  therein  laid 
down, 

That  the  Reformed  clergy  have  power  and  authority  to  assemble  together  in 
Synod,  and  ih.'re  to  determine  and  decree  controverted  doctrines  and  the  form 
of  government  for  the  church;  and  that  the  Word  of  God  is  THEIR  rule. 
(See  Testimony  of  the  Ass.  Pres.,  p.  128.) 

'i  hat  the  -stewards  of  the  mysteries  of  the  Word  are  alone  the  lawfully  or- 
dained ministers  of  the  Word."  [Meaning  the  Reformed  clergy.]  (Ass.  Cat- 
part  2nd,  p.  129.) 

'J'hat  the  power  of  ordaining  the  clergy  and  censuring  scandalous  persons, 
with  the  entire  government  of  the  church,  belong  by  no  means  to  the  whole 
community  of  the  members;  for  it  is  written,  '"give  not  that  which  is  holy  to 
dogs."        (f>sl.  p.  l*-9.) 

That  "the  authority  ol  the  clergy  reaches  to  the  rebuking  of  offenders,  direct- 
ing the  censures  of  excommunication,  approving  or  condemning  sessional 
records,  appointing  supplies  examining,  choosing,  and  hcensing  candidates  for 
the  minis. ry;  ordaining,  installing,  removing,  and  judging  ministers;  uniting 
or  disjoining  congregations,  resolving  ca.es  of  conscience,  etc."  (Directory 
A.  R  ( I 

That  the  clergy,  in  the  breaking  of  the  bread  of  tho  Holy  Supper,  arc  to 
take  the  place  of  Christ  and  >ay,  "divide  it  among  yourselves,'' — that  they  have 
authority  to  exclude  men  from  the  ordi  iances  of  the  church  of  God.  till  they 
profess  ihcir  laidi  ii'  the  whole  doctri .m-.s.  as  contained  in  the  Confession 
of  Faith  and  catechisms;  and  that  to  profess  faiih  in  the  wh(Li-:  iif  t/icsc  is  lo 
profess  faith  in  Christ.    (.\ss.  Cat.  part  2,  p.  2:;8,  2.30.  2:n,  232  ) 

That  i're.sbyleries  are  to  be  extremely  careful  of  involving  in  the  shame  and 
seventy  of  a  judicial  process,  those  irregulari  ies  which  appear  lo  be  merely 
acts  of  infirmity  in  the  clergy  ;  especially,  when  their  errors  do  not  st  /keat 
the \ilal  of  doi  trinal  or  [)raclical  godliness.  (Directory.)  'J'hat  ".\  minister 
[meaning  one  of  the  Rcf.  clergy]  is  not  to  be  excommunicated  or  deposed Ixoui 
his  office  for  any  violations  of  the  law  of  God,  unless  they  are  what  the  Syaod 


Chap.  111.] 


Reformers  and  Legislation, 


295 


that  no  man,  vvlialevor  may  be  his  qualifications,  except  he  be 
of  tlu'ir  order,  (i  e  of  il>e  clergy,)  sliould  l)e  allowed  to  interpiet 
the  Scl-ipiures  in  any  plan  ivliatever;  nor  even  to  read  them 
in  any  place,  excepting  apart  or  in  his  own  family.  ('St)  (See 
Con.  Faith,  Edit.  ed.  p.  596,  597.) 

7th.  That  the  Reformed  clergy,  in  accordance  with  the  sen- 
timents coniaiiied  in  the  preceding  articles,  did  actually  pro- 
ceed to  enact  and  decree  eccl.'siasticid  laws — involving  both 
faith  and  order  for  the  church,  may  be  seen  abundauiiy  in  the 
adilitional  articles  which  here  follow. 

8ih.  That,  in  A.  D.  1530,  at  the  Convention  of  Aiigshurgh, 
the  Reformers,  with  the  princes  of  Germany  at  iheir  head,  pre- 
sented a  confession  ol  their  faith  to  the  emperor  for  his  ratifi- 
cation and  approval — consisting  of  thirty-nine  articles,  the 
greater  number  of  which  terminated  in  the  words  damnanl 
AnabaptiHtas.      u)    (See  Kob.  Researches,  page  551.) 

do  judge  notorious;  nor  for  any  errors,  unless  they  are  such  as  the  Synod 
judge  do  unhinge  the  christian  profession  ;"  (Test.  p.  54.)  and  that  calumni- 
ators of  the  clergy  arc  to  he  severely  censured  !  (Directory.) 

That  when  the  clergy  have  cut  off  a  memher  from  the  church,  and  have  ju- 
dicially pronounced  hini  to  belong  to  the  kingdom  of  Satan,  the  rest  of  the 
members  aie  thenceforward  to  shun  all  intercourse  with  him.  But.  when 
they  [the  clergy]  have  agiin  restored  such  member  to  the  church  and  visible 
kingdom  of  heaven,  none  of  the  rest  of  the  members  are  to  s;iy  ouzht  against 
such  restored  member,  on  pain  of  severe  censure  for  scandal.  [Ibid.]  And 
finally — 

That  the  clergy  arc  elnthed  with  the  authority  of  Clirist,  their  hins,  who 
will  rat  f  II  in  heaven  those  censures  ivhieh  they  tlieuce  judiciousiy  i.iijiict  on 
eartli.  (Ibid.)  'I  hese  sentiments,  taken  in  the  complex,  are  conceived  to 
conssilute  as  arrogant  a  di>play  of  clerical  pon-er  as  ever  was  made  by  the 
most  arrogant  of  Ronii.sh  popes — decked  out  with  his  girdle  and  seven  seals  or 
keys. 

(3  I)  Is  it  not  evident,  that  to  prohibit  the  men  of  the  church  from  inter- 
preting the  Word  in  a  y  place,  is  virtually  to  prohibit  them  from  exercising 
Ihe  thought  of  the  understanding  in  relation  to  it  ;  and  thence  to  seai  up  the 
understanding  of  the  Word  as  with  seven  seals?  And  what  is  it  to  seal  up 
the  uriderslanding  of  the  Word,  by  prohibiting  the  inte  prelation  thereof  but 
esseiitiiilly  o  lake  it  away  from  the  men  of  the  church  as  the  Catholic  clergy 
had  fornierty  done  lon^  h.  fore? 

It  is  evident,  that  the  acts  of  both  the  Catholic  and  Reformed  clergy  under 
consideration  flowed  from  the  same  principles  and  to  the  same  end  ;  namely, 
that  the  men  of  the  church  might  be  dependant  on  the  clergy  fur  their  fiith, 
and  all  things  ehe  pertaining  to  salvntion  Nut  only  so.  for  he  who  will 
compare  the  principlfs  upon  which  the  Catholic  clergy  ba.sed  t/ieir  hierarchy, 
(see  n  23'2,  art.  1  lo  (i)  with  thnse  upon  which  the  Reformed  clergy  have 
based  theirs,  (see  the  si.\  articles  last  adduced)  must  needs  be  surprised  at  the 
correspondence  and  similitude  that  exists  between  them. 

(3  f/)  This  convention  was  held  thirteen  years  after  tho  commencement  of 
-the  reformation  by  Luther. 


296  Assumption  of  (he  Principle,  etc.  [Et  Art.  4. 


7ih.  That,  in  A.  D.  1533,  the  Reformed  clerffv  of  England, 
wiih  tlie  king  at  iheir  heail,  decreetl  in  conveniioii  or  convoca- 
tion, thai  "his  majesty  the  kinsr  of  England  was  the  supreme 
head  of  (he  church  of  England — in  whom  consisted  the  au- 
thority to  orilaiu  ecclesiastical  laws  by  the  assent  of  his  lords, 
spiritual  and  temporal,  in  parliament  assembled."  ('Sv) — 
(Hume.) 

iOth.  That,  in  k.  D.  1534,  they  united  the  voices  in  parlia- 
ment in  decreeing,  that  all  jurisdiction  previous  to  thai  time, 
usurped  by  i!ie  pope,  in  mailers  ecclesiastical,  should  thence- 
forward be  restored  to  the  crown  to  which  it  originally  belong- 
ed. (3  IV )    (Blacke,  v.  3,  p.  67.) 

(3r;  Blackstau  ,  in  speaking  of  the  bloody  law  of  the  six  articles  made, 
31,  lien,  viii,  observes,  "vvliich  poin's  were  determined  and  resolved  by  the 
most  godly  study,  pain  and  the  travail  of  his  majesty  ;  for  which  his  more 
humble  and  obedient  subjects,  the  lords,  spiritual  and  temporal,  and  the  com- 
mons in  parli  iment  assembled,  did  not  only  render  and  give  unto  his  highneKS 
their  most  high  and  hearty  thanks,  but  did  also  enact  and  declare  all  oppugners 
therefore  to  be  ht-relics,  that  should  be  burnt  with  fire."  (v.  4,  p.  47.) 

(:J  tf)  The  clergy  of  England  enacted  in  their  convention  or  couvoralion 
that  ''the  king  should  have  annexed  to  his  imperial  crown,  as  well  the  title  and 
style  thereof,  as  all  jurisdictions,  authorities,  and  commodities  to  the  dignity  of 
the  supreme  head  nf  the  church  appertuiiit"!;."  (libckslone,  v.  I,  p.  '^79.) 

The  most  prominent  feature  of  the  reformation  for  a  long  time,  but  especially, 
as  referred  to  England,  may  he  said  to  have  consisted  in  a  change  of  the  hfud- 
ship  of  the  church  from  the  pope  to  the  king  or  civil  ruler  ;  whence  it  resulted, 
that,  in  those  days,  honest  men  could  see  no  great  dillerence,  in  point  of  ad- 
vantage, between  the  pope  at  Home  and  popes  ut  other  places,  in  the  shajie  of 
kings,  magistrates,  etc.  iVeverthcless,  the  Keforn»ers  in  England,  as  well  as  at 
other  places,  adopted  the  principle,  that  the  only  competent  judges,  in  cases 
of  disputed  interpretations  of  holy  writ,  were  none  others  than  the  civil  rulers 
in  their  respective  countries!  The  Keforniers,  in  their  ado|)tion  of  this  ab<urd 
principle,  seem  to  have  forgotten  that  it  evidently  invol.cs  in  it,  that  a  natural 
•overeign  who  might  be  destitute  of  the  rccomn  cndation  of  even  professing  to 
comprehend  the  subject  in  dis()ule,  must  nevertheless  be  made  the  sufireme 
judge  and  arbiter  thereof.  And  also,  that  it  invclves  in  it,  that  that  liberty  of  pri- 
vate judgment  (falsely  called  private  inte!pcctation)-clainicd  by  ttie  Keloriiicrs- 
and  which  alone  could  justify  tin  ir  assaults  on  ]iopes  and  councils — ^hall  by  no 
means  be  granted  to  olliers,  much  less  to  all. 

liut  the  king,  being  constituted  supreme  head  nf  the  church,  therefore  it 
was,  that  it  became  his  duly  to  preside  at  the  trials  of  heretics;  and,  we  find, 
that  anionnst  those  at  which  lleniy  the  V'lll  presiilcd  was  that  of  Jyambcrt, 
in  .\.  D.  1539;  coricerning  which,  says  Cromwell:  "The  king's  majesty  pre- 
sided at  the  trial  of  that  miserable  heretic.  It  was  wonderful  to  see  w  ith  what 
excellent  majesty  hishighiiessexcrci>ed  the  oiruc  of  supreme  head  of  the  church.' 
How  strong  his  highness  alledged  agiiust  him!  etc.'' 

And,  not  only  kings,  but  queens  also  were  made  and  constituted  by  the  Re- 
formed clergy  the  supreme  heads  of  the  church.  Of  Elizabeth  of  England  it 
was  decreed  in  convocation,  that,  —  the  queen's  majesty  hath  the  supreme 
power  and  government  over  and  of  all  estates  in  the  realm,  whether  civil  or 


Ch;ip.  III.]   Supreme  Head  of  the  Church  of  England,  297 


11th.  That,  in  A.  D.  1536,  the  Rpformed  clcrijy  of  England 
derreed  and  established  five  arlides  of  fiiilh,  and  live  concern- 
ing the  cfrenionies  of  ilte  church  under  the  sanciion  of  iheir 
supreme  head — Henry  VIII.  (Beyer's  Ijife  of  Calvin,  p.  209.) 

12ih.  Th;it,  in  ihe  same  year,  (see  the  last,)  John  Calvin, 
the  celebialed  reformer  at  Geneva,  '-keeping  in  mind  that 
sentence  of  the  Lord,  'Seek  ye  first  the  kini.nh)m  of  (iod,  and 
all  other  things  shall  be  added  unto  you,'  (Mat.  6,  33,)  and 

ecclesiastical."  IVay  the  same  enormity  is  carried  out  still  firther  in  their 
awarding  to  James  I.  of  EnsjlanJ,  the  .~tyle  and  lille  of  "/nosY  high  and  most 
mighty  prince  James."  Higher  than  ihe  inof^l  high  cannot  ho  ;  therefore,  in 
proportion  as  tiic  Reformers  attached  n)eanina  to  such  titles  or  terms,  they  of 
necessity  r'  jectcd  the  Lord  the  true  Must  High! 

Agrceahiy  to  Milton,  tlu'  menihers  of  puiidcin/tnium  [a  .synod  of  devil.s]  ara 
all  very  careful  to  aildrcss  each  other  by  the  title-;  which  they  assumed  rir  .strove 
to  assnrne  i'l  this  world  :  as,  "your  holiness!''  'your  sublime  yravil)!"  -your 
immaculite  virtue!"  Whence  the  question  ari.ses  can  it  he  fro.-ji  this  eonsid- 
eralioh,  thai  tlie  clergy  of  the  Reformed  ilergy,  and  >ome  even  claiming  to  ba 
of  the  Neiv  Christian  Church  of  the  Lord,  adhere  lertacionsly  to  the  term 
Rkvliikxh?  Can  it  he  from  this,  that  vvhen  it  is  proposed  tiiat  the  clergy 
should  be  str'pped  of  every  title  of  earthly  distinction,  that  their  creatures  iiri- 
mc  h;itely  propose  that,  along  with  clerical  titles,  the  terms  of  "sit"  ajjd  'mis- 
ter" should  also  he  annihilated  ! 

(  <  i)  Here  the  re  ider  will  doubtless  be  atiiazed  at  that  unique  logical  acu- 
men of  the  Reformer,  from  which  he  was  enabled  to'  arrive  at  sucli  a  conclu 
sion  from  such  a  premise — from  which  he  was  enabled  to  discover  it  to  he  a 
plain  and  neces^a^y  acrlpLure  consequence  of  the  divine  injunction,  '  ."icek  first 
the  kingdom  of  heaven,  etc ''  —  that  it  was  his  individual  duly  to  prescribe 
laws  of  ecclesiastical  polity  for  the  church ! 

Calvin  adopted  the  doctrine  of  predestinati.m  in  its.  most  horrid  and  appa'ing 
form ;  and.  because  the  doctrine  of  the  preordination  of  whatever  comes  to  pa.ss 
—thus  of  all  manner  o/  sin  and  wiclicdness  is  rooted  and  grounded  in  preJesti- 
nation,  and  is  as  a  branch  growing  out  of  tt,  therefore  it  was,  that  Calvin  also 
embraced  the  doctrine  of  "foreordination  of -in"  without  scruples. ir  hesita.ic.y. 
But,  to  this  it  njust  be  ailded,  that  becau.se  the  doctrine  of  the  foreordnialioii  of 
sin  was  found,  in  numberless  instances,  to  stand  in  direct  o|)posiii  ii  lo  the 
Word  of  the  Lord  revealed  from  the  heaven,  therelore  it  was,  thai  the  do^^irine 
of  two  WILLS — which,  being  as  a  mighty  branch  growing  cut  of  that  of  the 
forcurdniaiidn  uf  an,  was  also  embraced  by  (  alvin  with  great  deli^lU. 

Is  it  not  plain,  that,  iu  order  to  persuade  a  man,  that  the  Lord  has  foreordained 
ti\  manner  of  s  n,  it  is  necessary  that  he  also  l)e  persuaded,  that  the  Lord  is  of 
a  double  heart  or  will,  and  of  a  double  mind  or  tongue ;  and,  that  the  one  is  in 
opposition  to  the  other;  and.  especially  seeing,  that,  to  him  who  has  embraced 
the  doctrine  of  the  two  luilk,  it  is  consistent  enouiih  to  believe,  that  the  Lord 
from  one  ol  his  wills  favored  sin — made  it  a  part  of  his  plan,  and  thence  fore- 
ordained it;  and,  from  hisopposite  will,  cannot  look  upon  it  but  with  abhorrence 
and  detestation  ;  and  ihence  forbids  it,  and  co  idemns  it  all  lo  hell. 

Wherefore,  to  the  end,  that  man  might  be  [jersuaded  with  more  facility  to 
embrace  Ihe  doctrine  of  foreordination  of  sin,  and  ihence  that  of  predestination 
in  all  its  hideous  forms,  t'alvin  and  his  successors  have  not  scruph  d  lo  ailheie 
ilenaciously  to  the  papal  decrees  of  the  sixth  general  council  of  Constantinople ; 


Calvhi's  Formulary  of  Faith.       [Et.  Art.  4. 


thence  considering  notliing  so  imporlant  as  to  prescribe  laws  of 
e-cclesiastii-al  poliiy — "  " — from  wiiich  neither  citizens  nor 
niini>ters  siioiiltl  lie  allowed  to  depart,  did  therefore  devise  and 
publish  a  formuhiry  [expression]  of  doctrine,  and  a  caiechisra" 
— involving  various  articles  of  laiih — "accommodated,"  saith 
Beyer,  "to  ihe  state  of  the  church  at  Geneva."  ^3  x)  (See 
Beza,  p.  29  and  15.) 

one  ot  which  «•  is,  lhai  "Christ  is  of  licn  tviUs  as  well  as  of  two  natures; 
and,  tliai  such  is  really  the  casei/iay  be  known  tViim  this,  thai  the)-  teach 
abuiid^intly  in  all  their  v\orks,  that  "(/le  mil  of  Gnd  istiio  /nld" — that 
•'the  one  is  his  u  ill  of  purpose  or  secret  will,  anil  is  nianilesi  in  the  execu- 
tion or  ulliin  iti  )ii  of  ihe  things  pre-decreeii,  preordained,  or  predestinated 
by  the  hands  of  h.s  pcor  duice;  and  thai  the  other  is  his  will  of  prccejil  or 
revealed  wil; — nianiftstcd  iu  his  wt  rd.  (."fee  Calvin  on  Romans,  and  As. 
Cat.  piirt  2,  p. 

But  it  should  be  known,  that  whoever  attributes  two  <oiigues,  minds, 
or  «i!I-i  to  ihe  Lord,  does  nothing  li'fs  than  hi  isphemoiisly  aitribute  to 
him  tl'e  very  esi^eiice  of  hypocracy  and  ma  evo'ence;  and,  that  (Uus  mis- 
r(^msii>l''n!r  the  Lord,  men  ouiy  make  liim  aItoi;elher  like  themselves, 
and  dif-nce  tru/t/  vpreseut  not  the  Lord  but  themselves  alone. 

'I'll. it  Calvin,  in  ri-pri'-eiitinir  the  Liird  as  hcin^  posses-cd  of  two  wi'ls, 
two  minds,  and  thciir.f  of  two  heads,  I  be  one  specious  and  outwnid,  the 
other  secret  11(1  hiilden  within,  did  noihin,!;  uiore  tliaii  truly  re[TCsent 
biiiisi'if.  in  relation  to  the  same  things  mi.ht  beshe'^vu  ;ibimdaiit!y  ;  as  for 
exaniple  in  a  1"  t(ei  to  the  protector  of  Edward  VL  of  England,  Calvia 
holds  for'h  as  f.dlows:  "  The  Lord  wiU  on  no  account  permit  the  work 
of  the  leformation  of  tlin  chi  rch  to  be  conducted  after  the  ii.o  el  of  our 
nnderstindinpv ;  or  Ihiit  what  is  heavenly  should  be  composed  af'er  the 
foini  of  ti  e  wisdo.n  of  this  world.''  This  being  in  accordunce  with 
trud),  m;iv  theref're  be  saiil  to  flow  Irom  Calvin's  specious,  oulward,  or 
revealed  will,  mind,  or  h«ad  ;  while,  in  that  which  follows,  it  will  be  seen 
tlia'  be  speak"  as  if  from  a  will,  mind,  or  hi-ad  utterly  differi  iii  and  op- 
posite, namely:  " — there  should  be  a  summary  of  doctrine  daicn  up,  to 
the  ohsrrvaiire  of  which  the  bishops  and  cli'riry  of  En-land  should  be 
bound  by  oalli,  so  that  no  one  miu'ht  be  ailmitted  to  the  I'ccli'si  istical 
olTice  without  proniisiiie  to  keep  inviolate  the  unity  of  doctrine,"  (See 
Bez  1,  n, 'JT/.)  '•  I'hc  S  riptures  express  the  substance  of  ecclesiastical 
discipline  in  pbiin  words;  but  ihe  f)rm  of  exercising  it  is  not  pieseribeil 
by  tiie  Ijord.  and  therrlore  it  ouu'ht  to  b  •  deUrmined  by  the  clergy  "  (Ibid, 
p.  2.)4  )  '-'I  he  iiicjuiry  of  the  clergy  is  not  to  he  concerning  how  they 
Jijay  live  withoi't  est  ib'ished  rules  in  ihe  church;  but  coiiciTi  ing  that 
luanageuent  and  order  be>t  a  lapte  l  to  retain  ihemselces  in  itjjicr !  (ibid, 
p.  2oU  )  — we  miisi  have  those  present  at  the  convcntiou  from  whom  we 
have  most  to  fear  afterwiiriis;  and,  when  the  business  is  once  settled,  they 
will  be  bound  bv  their  own  judgment  ami  prevented  from  exclaiming 
against  its  operiitioii,  and  also  from  exriiing  others  to  distu  h  the  order 
which  we  may  establish."  (Ibid,  p.  212.)  From  all  uhich  it  may  be 
seen,  th  it  Calvin  himself  being  jiosscss.  d  of  a  ilouble  will,  mind,  and 
tongue,  could  lVoi:>  a  disposil'ou  coirnnon  to  man,  ilo  no  other  than  ex- 
hibit (he  Lord  adBi-e  altngether  like  himself — of  a  (wo  fold  will — a  revealed 
will  of  precipl,  saying,  "'"•eek  (irst  the  kiiitidoin  of  heaven,  etc." — and  a 
secret  will  t)t'  purpose  whispering  to  the  clergy,  that  seeking  the  kingdom 
of  heaven  consiuls  in  theij  gojng  jibout  to  prescribe  laws  lor  the  church 


Chap.  IIT.3    Calvin — douhh  willed — memorable. 


13lh.  Th;it,  in  A.  D.  1537,  Calvin  succeeded  in  inducing  lire 
citizens  of  Geneva*  to  meet  in  convention,  and  tlience  to  take 
a  solemn  oatli  to  adlicre  to  llie  articles  of  faiili  [e.vjjression  of 
faith]  vvliich  he  had  devised,  prescribed  and  vvritlen.  (^y) — 
(Sec  Bi  za.  p.  15.) 

14th.  That,  in  A.  D.  1541,  Calvin,  after  being  recalled  from 
banishment  again  to  Geneva,  asserted,  that  he  could  not  perform 
the  minisierial  function  among  tiie  people  unless,  together  with 
the  articles  of  faith  which  he  ha<l' drawn  up,  a  regular  ecclesias- 
tical discipline — invoh'ing  the  I'l  eshylerian  form  of  church  gov- 
ernmenlt — should  be  established  by  the  State;  that  vicious 
souls  were  too  filthy  to  receive  the  purity  of  the  gospel  which 
he  preached;  that  a  dead  faith  was  of  no  use  without  good  works! 
and,  that  he  was  willing  to  be  banished  a  second  time,  if  ihey 
would  not  let  the  severity  of  ecclesiastical  laws  reign  in  live 
church,  and  condemn  the  pests  of  their  vices  to  perpetual  ban- 
ishment. (Beza,  p.  26.) 

15th.  That,  in  A.  D.  1542,  Calvin  wrote  a  catechism  [ex- 
pression of  faithj  more  full  and  copious  than  the  former;  (see- 
Art.  12)  and  whicli,  with  the  whole  form  or  plan  of  Presbyte- 

and  kingdom  of  heaven  upon  eartli ! 

(3  ly)  From  the  prophet  Hosea  (13  cli)  we  learn,  that  Jcrebonm  had  pro- 
Tided,  that  the  men  of  Israel  who  would  saerilice — tlius  worship  the  Lord — 
should  first  be  conjoined  to  his  cAi.TF.siy  kissing  Ifient  ;  and  from  Ueza  we 
here  learn,  that  Calvin  provided,  that  the  men  of  Geneva  who  would  worship 
the  Lord,  should  first  be  conjoined  to  bis  iiorm  as  nf  FdilJi.  by  solcinnlij  swear- 
ing lo  them.'  Calvin's  swearing;  the  men  of  Geneva  to  adhere  to  the  erclesi- 
astical  statutes  vvhith  he  had  devised,  appears  to  he  the  commencement  of  that 
system  of  solemnly  swearinj  to  creeds  which  became  so  remarkably  prevalent 
in  after  times;  and  of  that  systein  which  became  as  a  monster  frarlul  and  ter- 
rible, dev  mring  muck  Jles/i,  imprisoning  the  church,  and  stamping  the  residue 
under  its  feel! 

Cranmer  in  a  letter  to  Calvin,  says,  ''There  is  nothing  which  tends  more  di- 
rectly lo  separate  the  church  of  God,  than  differences  about  the  doctrinals  of 
religion  ;  and  rwtniiig  more  effeclually  unites  them  in  the  fold  of  Clirisi,  than 
union  in  received  opinions."  " — The  1<  arned  and  pious  of  the  clergy  should 
meet  in  convention  or  synod  lo  compare  their  ojjinions,  and  thence  to  agree 
not  only  concerning  the  doctrines  themselves,  but  also  as  to  the  very  forms  of 
EXPRESSION  ;  so,  that  some  [orthodox]  work  might  be  handed  down  to  pos- 
terity with  the  weight  ot  iheir  authority!  (Beza,  p.  295  ) 

Hume  slates,  that  Cranmer,  in  A.  D.  15.52.  (ttie  same  year  in  which  he 
wrote  as  above  to  Calvin,)  issued  writs  to  enquire  into  herelical  pruvilij  ;  the 
consequence  of  which  was,  th  it  many  weie  brought  to  the  slake  for  the  crime 
of  expressing  their  faith  in  their  o^»n  expressions. 

•Geneva  was  then  a  Republic. 

fCalviii  was  the  first,  of  whom  we  have  any  account,  that  devised  and  cau- 
sed to  be  established  the  Piesbyteiian  forra  of  governmeiit.  (See  Beza,  p.  26,) 


300    Ciih  iri  s  prescriptions  Ratified— memorable,  [Et.  Art.  4. 


rian  tliscipline,  he  adually  caused  lo  be  established  in  Geneva 
— by  so  iii;iiiaging  as  lo  cause  the. citizens  to  pass  laws  to  that 
effect.  (3z)    (Beza,  p.  25,  26,  27.) 

16lh.  'J'hat,  in  A.  1).  1517,  "Calvin  insisted,  that  ilie  doc- 
trine>  of  the  gospel  winch  he  and  his  colleagues  [[ministers^  liad 
established,  along  with  the  laws  concerning  church  discijiline. 
should  be  ratified  by  the  Senate;  and,  that  his  opponents  (i  e 
those  in  the  minority  when  he  obtained  llie  vole  of  the  citizens. 
See  the  last  art.)  insisted,  that  the  Senate  ought  not  to  ratify 
laws,  from  the  discussion  of  which  both  the  Senate  and  people 
were  excluded;  and  r.riher  insisting,  that  f/ie  cognizance  of  all 
questions  under  discussion — involving  law — should  be  re- 
moved from  Calvin  and  his  ministers  to  the  Senate;  but,  that, 

{3  z)  11(1111  Litzii  we.  leain,  IIihI  lh<ic  u«-ie  iiiaiiv  in  (Jeneva  \vho  did  not 
ensilt/  submit  tltemsilvis  lo  be  forced  to  adopt  (lie  discijdine  of  Ciilvin;  and 
wlio  vtheuitiilly  urged  llie  example  of  otlier  prote-teiit  churches  wliirli  had 
iiot  a(!.>|iied  KxCOMMLNiCATii  N.  (|-.  29.)  And  lioiii  which  it  iiiav  a'so  be 
•een,  lhat  the  citiiens  of  Geneva  were  not  sn  blind,  but  that  they  |>l.iinly  saw, 
that  tcolesiaslical  laws  devised  b_v  men  were  none  other  than  tiie  means  of 
barrassin?,  t'lrtiiriiip',  and  excoinmnnicHtint;  them;  and  that  tliey  were  at  best 
l)ut  as  Irajis  in  which  to  catch  nun.  and  thence  to  humble  them  so,  that  the 
clerory  might  be  propoilioiiatelv  exalied. 

However  fierce  Luther  iiia\  have  been  when  he  first  escaped  from  the  den 
of  his  savage  mother,  [the  iiapal  rhnrch,]  and  however  be  may  at  first  have 
gone  about  to  set  traps  and,  J\'"tOT rod  like,  to  hunt  men,  yet  it  is  nianilest 
enough,  that  he  received  the  piace  of  God  [the  divine  inllux]  into  Lis  eoul; 
and  thence  became  truly  njormcd.  Al  the  end  of  a  certain  lonnnla  which 
lie  had  drawn  up  for  the  rliurrh  of  Wi ilembiirij.  he  wrote  the  following- — 
"Which  form,  cither  you  or  others  n>ay  follow  it  jou  please;  if  not,  we  will- 
in"-|y  give  place  to  the  anointing."  On  anoiher  occasion  he  declares  as  fol- 
low* :—"Ci)rislians  ought  lo  be  governed  liy  that  U'ord.  whereby  they  were 
made  chi  iaiaiis:  that  is,  by  the  INCORRUPTIHLE  IVord  without  the  adtlitional 
authority  of  councils,  doctor?,  or  tBtiierj."  And  on  another  occasion  he 
speaks  as  follows:— ■'!  have  often  endeavored  lo  prescribe  inethods  to  God, 
i\hich  1  thought  he  should  use  in  governing  the  church;  thinking  within  my- 
self, that  iiiy  counsel  was  not  dill-iing  from  the  glory  of  God;  and,  that  it 
would  make  much  for  the  gathering  and  increasing  of  his  kingdom.  I?ul,"  he 
observes,  "(iod  no  doubt  laughed  al  this  wisdom  of  mine;  and  said.  -It  is  not 
my  manner  that  either  Peter  or  jMnrtin  should  lead  me."'  And,  finallv  ,  on 
another  occasion,  he  declared,  that  '-It  is  certain,  that  it  is  not  in  th^  power 
of  the  church,  or  of  the  pope,  to  constitute  or  determine  articles  ol  faith,  nor 
even  laws  of  morals  or  good  works." 

But,  as  touching  the  whole,  in  the  complex,  it  is  suihcient  here  to  stale, 
that  neither  the  sentiments  nor  example  of  Luther,  nor  those  or  that  of  other 
churches,  singly  or  combined,  were  suUicienl  to  lliwurl  the  ambitious  schemes 
of  the  cliaiiipioii  of  predestination!  . 

(4a)  We  may  now  concive  Calvin  as  almost  at  iho  summit  of  his  ambi- 
tion; hi-  laws  have  been  sworn  to— voted  for  by  a  mnjorily  sulVicient  to  force 
the  minoiitv— sanctioned  hv  the  Senate— and  ihn-h-ne  1  econie  I  le  laws  of 
the  Slate.  'But  as  Sisyphus  must  eternally  roll  his  burdtntome  4  one  up  the 
.i/ec/>— without  hopes  of  rest,  or  of  getting  it  once  lo  lie  s. ill— so,  the  labors 
of  the  ambitions— the  lovers  of  doniinntion  and  rule— are  withou,  erd  ;  and, 
that  such  is  indeed  the  case,  i*  remarkably  illusliated  in  he  cas  nl  the  ."f" 
hill  toiis  of  Cn/iiK,  even  alter  be  bad  tucccedtd  in  gelling  his  la.vs  islablish- 
cd.    As  loi  txam))le: — 


Chap.  III.3  The  Principle  Assumed. 


301 


nevertheless,  Calvin  and  the  minister?  implored  the  aid  OF 
THE  Sknate  to  prevent  llie  church  from  receiving  injury  ;  and, 
that  filially  the  Senate  did  rutijy  and  conjirm  the  laws  of  the 
church — i.  e.  the  prescriptions  of  Calvin,  (■i  a)  (See  Beza,  p. 
41,42.;  ^ 

Fiasr — In  the  case  of  liis  toil"  aiic!  labors,  in  A.  D.  1747  and  8,  in  causing 
to  be  conv  icled  and  beheaded,  a  pi-rson  wbose  principle  crime  was,  his  affixing^ 
to  the  },ul/iit  a  |>apei'  on  which  it  was  wi  itien,  that  "Call  in  oughl  to  be  cast 
into  the  Klione;  and,  in  which  case,  Beza — to  aid  Calvin  in  -toppin-;^  if  possi- 
ble the  do.vnward  progress  of  the  recoiling  stone — published  abroad,  that 
"after  the  death  of  the  pcrton  in  question,  a  paper  was  found,  professedly, 
written  with  liis  own  hand  aj^ains!  Mos-es;  and,  therelore,  ihat  there  wa»  ni> 
doubt  0/  hi>  in>piet_v,  and,  that  he  had  infected  others  with  his  heresy!"  (see 
Beza,  p.  -13.)  To  which  ma)  be  added  the  case  if  his  grievous  labors,  in  re^ 
gard  to  thoje  who  called  their  dogs  Calvin,  and  himself  Cain;  and  who  re- 
Trained  from  the  Holy  Supper,  rather  tlian  receiieathis  bandi — estefuiing 
him  none  oilier  than  the  son  of  a  murderer.  (Ibid,  p.  44.) 

Seconijly — In  the  case  of  his  toil-,  in  A.  D.  1,049  &  50.  in  causing  GrueT 
to  be  cunucmned  and  put  to  death  for  denying  the  divinity  of  the  christian 
religion,  as  taught  at  Geneva;  and  for  calling  CaUin  a  new  pope!  (see  Mosh. 
V.  4,  p.  418  ) 

Thirui.v — III  the  case  of  his  grievous  toils,  in  A.  D  1551,  in  causing  BoL- 
SEC  to  be  cast  into  prison,  as  a  seditious  oirender;  and  tlience  banished  for 
daring  to  support  free  will  in  opposition  to  the  doctrine  of  eternal  predestina- 
tion wkirh  lie  himself  taught;  and  in  which  case,  Beza — lhat  he  might  aid  in 
prevent. nef  llie  stone  from  recoding  down  the  steep — states,  that  " —  Satan, 
by  means  of  the  disputes  that  arose  on  this  occasion — respecting  predestina- 
tion— was  the  occasion  of  much  light  being  shed  on  that  article  of  faitli — in- 
volved before  in  great  obscurit)  !  (see  Beza,  p.  53,  and  Mosh.  v.  4,  p.  418,  419.) 
!•  Fourthly — In  the  case  of  all  his  grievous  labors,  as  it  were  in  the  very 
fire,  in  A.  D.  1553,  in  causing  that  Miciiakl  Skrvi:tos — a  scholar  and  gen- 
tleman— liberal  in  his  sentiments,  aiul  generous  as  the  day  in  communicating 
thecn,  should  be  arrested  on  the  Lord's  day,  while  at  divine  service — cast  into 
a  squali<l  prison — prosecutod  by  his  advice  and  direction,  and  by  his  own 
creatures — denied  an  advocate — and  condemned,  and  6nally  burnt  to  death  at 
the  itake,  »ntli  a  burning  of  two  huur.s  dm  alien;  and  all  this  for  deining,  in 
big  "Restitution  oj  Christianity,"  (a  book  he  had  written  and  published,) 
that  there  are  </ircc  ^crioiii  each  of  whom  is  very  and  et.-rnal  God;  allhough, 
in  the  course  of  his  tiial,  he  had  declared,  lhat  although  he  had  written  so, 
yet  when  they  (Calvin  and  his  colleagues,)  would  show  him  his  error,  he  would 
kiss  the  ^  round  they  walked  on.  And,  to  which  it  may  be  added,  lhat,  in  this 
case,  the  Ke^irmeO  clergy  set  TO  their  shoulders,  as  with  one  consent,  that 
they  might  aid  Calvin  in  his  ungodly  and  np  hill  toils.  Beza  set  bis  shonldert 
to  the  Sisyphusian  stone,  now  recoiling  down  the  steep,  by  wriiing  a  book  in 
defence  01  putting  men  to  deaih  for  their  opinions!  Ballinger.  seeing  Calvin 
like  to  sink,  and  the  stone  recoiling,  sets  To  his  shoulder,  that  Calvin  may 
take  breath  for  a  moment,  and  ticlaims,  "Be  not  discouraged,  in  that  you 
have  undertaken  this  LABOit!  I  do  not  see  how  it  was  possible  to  have  -pared 
the  life  of  Strvitus."  Peter  Martyr  sets  his  shouUler  also  to  the  stone,  ex- 
claiming. "As  often  as  we  are  asked  about  the  affair  of  Servetus.  u,'C  defend, 
you  tot</i  all  our  strength."  But  Calvin  hinistli,  more  than  these,  toil-  it  up 
th«  steep  with  an  ardor  never  dying,  and  an  anibiiion  never  to  be  conquered 
or  subdued!  Wherefore,  he  now  wrote  a  b<><jk  to  prove,  not  only  that  here- 
tics should  be  put  to  death,  but  also,  that  "the  apostles  themselves,  had  the 
government  under  which  they  livecj  had  been  christian,  would  have  abetted 
and  sanctioned  persecution!  (Beza,  p.  193,61,  174.)  Whence  also,  of  the 
Reformed,  clergy  it  may  be  said,  they  put  to  death  Servetus,  self-persuaded 
that  all  the  apostles  would  have  done  as  they  did. 

26 


303 


The  Principle  Assumed.  [E.  Art.  4. 


17th.  That,  in  A.  D,  1547,  the  Reformed  clergy  of  England 
decreed,  thai  pul  lic  worship  should  be  aiiended  under  pain  of 
six  months  imprisonment  for  tlie  first  offence  ;  twelve  for  the 
second;  and  imprisonment  for  life  for  t!ie  third  offence.  (i.b) 
(Hume.) 

l  UTIII.Y — In  ihe  rase  of  his  Irtbois,  in  A.  D.  1554,  in  causing  C.'ASTtl.I.IO 
to  be  baiiislte<i  fr'oni  Berne,  with  di-f^rare  and  infann  ,  for  an^*vver  in^  his  [Cal- 
Tin'>]  book,  (therein  he  had  attempted  lo  prove  that  heretics  should  be  put 
to  dealh  bv  the  niaj^i>trhle,>  and  e-peciall\  berause  hi-  answer  lo  that  book 
reproached  Calvin  in  n  very  surprising  manner,  (see  Be2a,  p.  61,  62.  65.) 

SiXTHLV — In  the  rase  ol  hi'^  labors,  in  A.  D  1555,  in  causing  Gaili.4I,D0, 
antiiiineni  lawjer.upon  his  first  roininff  to  Geneva,  to  li\  to  Beiiie — lobe 
taken,  and  tlx  nee,  in  causing  punishment  to  be  prepared  for  him,  so  that,  in- 
asmuch as  Grihaldo  died  of  the  plague  not  I'uig  afteivvaids,  Beza  said  he 
"Ihvs  escn}>td  the  pvnishment  prepared  for  him;  '  and,  all  this  lor  no  other 
rca?^  n  lhau  because  Giibildo  when  questioned  bv  Calvin  respecting  his  faith 
in  the  ti  inil_\,  was  eilh  r  unable  or  Dnw.lling  to  express  it  in  the  formula  or 
expression  devised  by  Calvin, and  ejlablishid  by  law  in  Geneva.  (Ibid, p. 64.) 

S^.vt^THLy,  and  lasll) — In  the  case  of  his  labors,  in  A  D.  1560,  in  causing 
GlKTII.LKS  to  be  ai  rested  am'  brought  before  nimself,  and  thence  to  take  an 
oath  that  he  would  never  leave  the  ciiy  of  Geneva;  and  finally,  in  causing  a 
train  to  be  laid  b^  which  he  was  retaken,  tried, and  condemned ,  and  beheaded ; 
and  all  this  lor  no  o.her  reason  than  because  he  had  disseminated  opinions 
not  in  agreement  with  Ihe  standard  of  orthodoxy  !  1  Calvin's  dogmas.]  (Ibid, 
p.  70  ) 

I-  ro.n  the  things  adduced  in  this  note,  not  only  the  labors,  but  the^  quality 
of  the  labors  of  John  Cal\  in — the  great  clianip'on  of  predestination,  foreordi- 
natljn  of  sin,  at  well  as  tritlieism — becomes  abundantly  niauilisl.  But  that 
the  genuine  qu:ility  of  the  man  niighl  be  seen  in  light  unequivocal — from  Beza, 
his  friend,  admirer ,  and  aiUoiale,  we  learn,  that,  on  one  occasion,  he  held 
forth  thus-  "The  ev.Jent  judgments  o  God  against  those  noxious  spirits, 
which  disturb  ihe  peace  of  the  church,  afford  mi  some  pleasure  to  mingle  with 
HJy  S'if'  "  ■■ — dtsirnble,  that  a  gracious  providence  would  by  some 
nitans  free  his  chvrcties  lioni  such  polluted  nienibers."  (p. 235  )  On  auuthep 
OccaT-ioii  he  said.  " — If  Servelns  come  to  Geneva,  I  sh  am.  USt  MY  AUrnoillTlT 
IJ)  SUCH  MAM^iER,  THAT  HE  SHALL  NliT  DEPART  Al.l\E.  (p.  179.)  On  ano- 
ther occasion  thus:  "My  exertions  have  not  been  altogether  useles-,  alllion^h 
J  have  not  teen  able  lo  conquer  the  ferocious  animal."  [doubtless  meaning  his 
wrathful  and  bloody  d  i-position."!  (p.  117.)  lini.ll>,on  the  most  trying  of  all 
occasions,  naineh  ,  his  dialh-bed,  '-he  never  once  complained  of  selfoccusa- 
tion  on  account  of  the  dealh  of  Servehis.  or  oj  the  part  he  took  in  punishing 
Others  who  opposed  his  docirinis."  (p.  108.) 

(4  6)  He  e.  we  find  the  Reformed  clergy  of  F.ngtand  already  giving  notice 
to  Ihe  world,  that  when  they  speak  ihe  ctiurch  niu-t  hear:  or,  that  they  too, 
as  did  theii  niollier  bt  lore  them,  will  persecute  w  ith  all  ihe  wi  aih  of  demons! 
But  what  is  cerlainlv  rrniai  kable  in  the  annals  of  persecution,  is  this,  that  in 
the  very  same  y » ar  that  John  Cal\ in,  who  was  called  by  many  Ihe  Bope  of 
Geneva,  brought  Sei  viins  lo  the  slake,  cardinal  Foole.  the  Ruii.i>h  pope's  le- 

f aie,  arrived  in  Knglaud,  and  then  and  there  adiirt'std  both  houses  of  Par- 
ianient,  as  lollows.  "I  am  come  to  ihS(  ribe  you  d<  niz* ns  of  heaven,  and  to 
restore  you  to  mat  christian  greatness  which  you  have  forfeited  by  renoun- 
cing vour  Blle5;iaiice  to  the  Holy  SeE;  and  b>  ihence  <  ulting  yourselves  off 
from  the  body'of  ihe  faithful.  '  And.  concerning  which,  we  faither  learn, 
that  bolh  hou  es  of  rai  liniiienl — involving  Ihe  iliiiiiiiai  u  s  of  the  church — 
presented  an  humble  pctilion  to  ihe  king  and  queen,  (I'liillp  and  .Mary.)  ihat 
they,  being  unpolluted  with  heresy ,  would  intercede  with  ihe  lord  cardinal 
Poo/e  for  their  absolulit  n ;  that  Mary  became  quite  transported  with  joy  on 
tbia  occasion,  and  even  expressed  herself  as  evidencing  ihe  motions  of  an  un- 


Chap.  III.]       Legislative  Power  Assumed. 


303 


18lh.  Tiiat,  in  A.  D.  1552,  the  Rfiformcd  clergy  of  Ea2;land 
devised  anil  framed  foriy-lwo  ariicli'-*  of  fiilli  lor  the  church  — 
all  of  which  were  sanctioned  by  Elwanl  VI. — (a  bov  of  14 
years!)  as  the  supreme  head  ihpreof ;  and,  that,  in  k.  D.  1503, 
these  articles  were  revised  and  reduced  to  the  present  celebrated 
thirtti  nine  articles  of  the  oliurch  of  E^igland.  (B-za.) 

I9th,  That,  in  A.  D.  1558,  ihe  Reformed  clergy  of  England 
caused  it  to  be  decreed  in  Parliam -nl,  that  the  primate  of  Caa- 
terbury  (Whiigifi)  should  lake  to  himsidf  forty-foar  commis- 
sioners,  and,  wiih  these,  to  hold  courts,  to  be  called  Courts  of 
JJiL(h  CommisHioii ;  wherein  all  errors,  heresies,  and  schisms 
should  be  visited  and  reformed —all  opinions  regulated — all 
breaches  of  unil'onniiy  in  wotship  punished  ;  and,  wherein  they 
should  make  inquiri/  by  any  means  they  mig.it  devise — be  it 
rack,  torture,  imp'isonment,  or  inquisition!  (i  c)  (Blackstone, 
V.  3.  p.  67,  and  Himie's  Hist.  Eng.) 

born  infant;  thai  the  prelites  of  those  davs  went  aboiit  to  compose  prayer* 
for  liie  sdt'e  (leliveranre  of  ihe  queen — jiie  of  which  >v  '  Give  unto  our  qneea 
a  liule  inCaiit,  in  fashion,  comely  and  benutilul;  and  in  pregnan  wit,  njtal>le 
and  excellenl!" — that  althuni;'!  their  prayers  as  referred  (o  their  barrea 
queen  of  necessity,  proved  ab  ji  tive.  yet,  that  their  deed*,  a*  referred  to  the 
protesfant?.  were  grounded  in  blood.  Thai  stran^fe  as  it  may  appear,  yet  it  it 
not  the  less  true,  that,  in  A-  D  1555,  while  Calvin  was  kirking  his  heels 
an;ain-it  heaven  in  Geneva — nuniins;  and  pur«mii;j  heretics  in  every  direction, 
accjrdini;  to  the  length  of  liis  cha'us — c  ini  ni^sions  were  is^U'^d  to  Gardiner 
and  Bonner  X->  light  up  the  fi.-es  of  Smitiyleld  (or  his  proteslant  friends  in 
England;  an  I.  that  many  of  the  R.efjriuer-i,  along  with  the  celebrated  John 
ICni>x^  were  forced  to  Ily  from  the  fire  of  persecntioa,  raging  in  England,  to 
Geneva  and  other  places;  anJ,  what  is  ni  )^t  strange  is,  that  all  the  attempt* 
of  the  Magistrates,  of  the  place's  to  which  the;'  lied,  to  cause  the;M  to  ceas« 
branding  each  other  as  heretics,  and  thus  seeking  the  lives  of  each  other,  (al- 
though in  full  view  of  their  common  enemy  the  Catholics)  were  utterly  un* 
availing!  (Hnnie's  Hist.  Eng.) 

(4  c)  Blaclfsione  further  mfjrnn  us,  that  "the  increase  of  the  power  of  the 
St.\h.  CuANtBEii,  and  the  erection  of  a  high  court  of  commi^ion,  in  matter* 
«crle<iastic.il,  were  at  work  throughout  the  rei^n  of  queen  Elizabeth,  (v.  4, 
p.  4.(3.)  But  is  it  not  passing  strange,  that  the  Reforuied  elegy  of  these  'y>Y*. 
are  not  ashamed  to  assert  in  the  face  of  heaven,  that  "the  protestants  U'.I  not 
enact  the  intoleiant  laws  ol  England," — thafJ)lin  Calvin  did  not  enaut  that 
bloody  law  under  which  Servetus  suffered  death  at  Ihe  stake,"  and  that  "there 
is  nothing  in  proteslant  creeds  or  canons,  that  even  iasiniiates  a  wish  to  per- 
secute." (see  Brownlee,  p.  3U.) 

Can  it  be  possible,  th.it  tlie  reformed  clergy  have  become  «o  insane  as  to 
suppose,  that  the  wjrld  will  believe  then>  when  they  say.  that  ihe'r  progeni- 
tors, in  ena.'tiug  laws,  (hat  men  should  be  inijjrisoned  for  life  for  neglecting  to 
honor  the  clergy, at  their  holdings  forth,  with  their  presence;  that  men  should 
have  their  tongues  slit — their  ears  bjred — !)e  publicly  whipped — bebeheidetl 
— or  be  hanged  upon  a  tree,  for  their  wini  of  confurinily  to  the  expression 
of  faitli  and  form  of  church  order,  dictated  and  prescribed  by  the  clergy; — 
that  men  should  answer  for  their  heresies  and  breaches  of  uiiformitv  by  the 
rack,  the  torlu  e,  anJ  the  inquisitioi;  of  the  tribunal  of  the  Star  Chamber— 
Ijiaking  one  with  that  of  the  papal  inquisition;  that  the  magistrate  should 
punish  with  deatli  or  otherwise  all  those  whom  t  he  clergy  should  brand  or  iiiark 
as  heretics — all  who  expressed  their  faith  their  own  way  rather  than  after  the 


304  Assumption  of  Legislative  Power.     [E.  Art.  4. 


20th.  That,  in  A.  D.  1562,  the  Reformed  clergy  of  England 
decreed  and  caused  it  to  be  esiablished,  that  the  things,  contained 
in  Jewel's  apology, — in  the  tliirlv-nine  articles, — an'i  in  Now- 
ell's  catechism  [Calvin's  catechism  enlarged]  constitf  d  the 
sum  (the  expression)  of  the  faith  of  the  church  of  E'l  land  ; 
and,  that  these  works  expressed  the  sense  of  the  chuich  in 
all  matters  necessary  to  salvation  J  (b.  215.) 

21st.  That  in  A.  D.  1568,  at  the  convention  of  Altenburgh, 
the  Reformed  clergy  of  Germany  decreed,  that  a  form  of  doC' 
trine  should  be  composed  which  should  terminate  all  controver- 
sies that  then  divided  the  clirisiian  cliurch  ;  and  that,  in  accord- 
ance with  which  decree,  a  form  of  doctrine  was  coin'  'f^ted  in 
A.  D-  1576,  called  The  Form  of  Concord,  ('id)  Mt.sh.  v. 
4,  p.  330,  336.) 

expression  of  failli  prescribed  by  the  clergy — nevertlieless,  did  not  (riia(  t  tn(o2- 
eron(  iou'j.' nevertheless,  did  not  in  anj  of  the  rai'ons  [church  laws]  which  they 
enacted, even  insinuate  a  wish  to  persecute!  and,  cousequently, that  the  hands 
of  John  Call  in  their  great  progenitor,  were  not  in  the  least  stainef'  with  the 
blood  of  Servetus!! 

The  Jewi  who  delivered  up  the  Lord  to  Pilaie,  their  civil  inag'.slralc,  may 
not  have  enacted  that  law  of  which  they  spoke,  saj  ing,  '"We  have  a  law,  and 
by  our  law  he  ought  be  crucified.''  So,  Calvin  who  delivered  up  Sf  rvetus, 
to  the  civil  magistrate,  may  not  have  enacted  thai  law  of  which,  both  by  ac- 
tion and  speech,  he  spoke  effectually,  saying,  we  have  a  law,  and  by  our  law 
he  ought  to  be  burnt  at  the  slake! 

As  it  farther  regards  the  guilt  of  the  Reformed  clergy,  let  il  be  asked, 
wherein  is  the  difrereiice,  in  point  of  guill,  between  their  enacii.ig  a  Uw  by 
which  to  put  men  to  death  for  their  opinions,  r.nd  their  raking  up  from  the 
link  of  papc.l  corruption,  a  law  that  w.i!  equnlly  answer  thai  purpose,  and 
adopting  It  as  iheir  own,  thence  exclaim,  "uc  have  a  lawP' 

(4  d)  The  Form  of  Concord  [^Formula  Concordia']  was  received  by  the 
Lutherans,  a«  an  article  of  their  laith  ;  but,  because  il,  in  many  pliOis,  stood, 
or  stands  in  opposition  to  the  Cah  lnists,  therefore,  it  became,  an  I  will  ever 
become  of  itself  an  insuperable  barrier  to  the  ostensible  end  and  :t:igii  of  iti 
creation — namely.  CO>coRD;  and,  enpecially  seein^,  that  by  il,a'l  are  to  b« 
condemned  as  heretics  who  oppose  ihe  sentiments  contained  in  il. 

But,  WHO  shp'l  "dequatelj  declare  how  far  the  Reformed  clergy  have  rramp- 
ed  and  paisi'  t  a  faculties  of  Ihe  mind,  and  how  much  they  have  impeded 
its  onward  by  means  of  their  creeds  and   formularies  ol  concordi 

faUely  so  called?  By  means  of  <Afse,  they  interdict  (he  free  o»e  o*  reatoo 
on  all  imporlMut  subjects;  for,  although  it  be  indeed  true,  that  the  tlergy  ad- 
mit of  the  free  vibration'  '  reason  on  inferior  questions,  still  it  is  o  i  ihe  con- 
dition, that  It  be  not  atl.MCted  i. "wards  such  as  might  be  broujrht  to  bear 
■gainst  the  dogma*  ihey  have  established! 

When  dio-ging  and  searching  after  truth,  which  is  seldom  foan  l  but  with 
great  labor^is  represented  b\  the  clerg_\  as  impious,  and  as  Ihe  sin  'if  curi- 
osily  — the  sin  of  Eve— the  ilifFicullies  which  increase  our  laboi>  »:e  thereby 
doubled.  They  who  would  represent  the  eft'ects  of  new  trutli>,  or  lruth» 
newly  discoveied,  as  mi-'chievou?  to  Ihe  coniiuunity,  are  they  who  would  rob 
wen  of  Iheir  ratioani  and  moral  nature. 

The  founders  of  each  sect  have  ever  acknowledged,  that  they  rovolted 
•gainst  the  ancient  and  almost  universally  received  authorities;  '  ut  ■  .ch  of 
them,  at  the  name  lime,  would  have  u»  to  know,  thai  they— happy  men.  ha»- 
IDg  found  the  truth,  have  therefore  prescribed  the  circle  of  il,by  laiing  down 
in  their  creed  the  very  eiyrtjjion  of  it— within  which,  and  according  ic  whtchi 


Chap.  III.]  The  National  Covenant — Memorable.  305 


22nil.  Tliat,  in  A.  D.  1578,  tlie  Refurmrd  cler<iy  of  Scotland 
presented  an  instruineni,  called  the  National  Covenant,  for 
siil)-cri[)iion,  first  to  the  k\n^,  (J;imes  VI.  of  Scotland,)  and  then 
to  the  people;  ihnt  this  insLruinenl  contained  wiihm  iian  oath, 
of  the  most  soh  mn  and  bindmsj  nature, — by  which  each  sub- 
scriher  bound  himself  to  adhere  all  d^ys  of  his  life  to  the 
confession  [expression]  of  frtiili,  devised  and  prescribed  by  the 
clerjry  ;  that,  in  A.  D.  1590,  this  covenant  was  subscribed  by- 
all  sorts  of  persons;  and  that,  in  A.  D.  1640,  the  clergy  suc- 
ceeded in  obt-tiniiig  an  act  of  Pailiameiit  by  which  their  covenant 
—involving  all  their  dogrn<i3  of  faith — w;is  made  ilie  law  of  the 
land  !  f4  e)    (See  Con.  Faith,  Edin.  Ed.,  p.  483,  486.) 

r^8»t)ii  iiiii>t  be  confined  in  all  hei  vibi  at  ions',  aiiibulal  ions  and  rirrriirugviations; 
and,  ihat  to  stray  willioul  is  to  eat  ol  the  Ibrljidden  fruit,  and  it  possible  to 
fall  from  grace. 

(4  e)  Tiie  striking  features  of  this  covcnani  may  be  seen  from  the  following 
— extracted  from  il — viz: 

"We  sill,  and  eveiy  one  of  us,  under  written  protest,  that,  after  lon°f  and 
fine  rxaniiiDition  of  our  own  consciences,  in  iniitler*  of  true  and  false  religion, 
wc  are  now  thoronijlily  resolved  in  ihe  Irntii,  by  the  Word  and  Spirit  of  tjod; 
and,  llicrfforc." — "atlirm,'" — "that  this  only  is  itie  true  christian  tailh  and  re- 
li';ion — which  now  is" — "received  by  the  kirke  of  Scotland — as  parti.  ularly 
exp"e'Sed  in  the  confes-ion  of  our  lailh — esla'.lishtd  and  confii  ined  by  sundry 
act"  of  Parliament,  etc."  "And  iherefore,  we  abhor  and  det>  st  all  contrary 
doctrine  and  religion — but  cliiitly  all  kin  Is  of  pa|]is(ry — ,  '  " — even  as  they 
are  now  daninerl  and  conluttd  by  llie  Word  of  God  and  the  kirke  of  Scot- 
land— " —  We  detest  the  u-uped  power  and  authorily  of  the  Roman  Auti- 
Chnst — his  making  tyrannous  iatcj  agaiust  christian  libert\ — his  vain  tradi- 
tions brought  into  the  kirke  without  (he  Word;  and  all  hh  l)la-phemou» 
prieslh.n  d — " — promising  and  swearing  by  the  great  name  of  the  LoltD 
OUtl  God,  that  we  will  coniinu  in  ohe<tii-ncc  to  the  doctrine  and  disi-ipline  of 
this  k'rke,  a. id  will  keep  tlie  >ame  with  all  our  power,  all  the  <lai3  of  our  lives, 
under  the  pain  contained  in  the  law-  and  danger  both  of  body  and  soul  in  tho 
ciav  of  God's  fearful  judgment." 

hut  the  true  nature  of  the  riet  station  of  the  Reforujed  clergy  toward* 
usurped  power  and  tyrannous  laws  thence,  becomes  evident  from  the  parlia- 
rient^iry  enaclnienis  of  the  Relorujeis,  which  immedi^itely  lollowtd  tho  taking 
and  swearing  to  the  covenant  it>elf.  Some  of  which  are  essentially  tts  fol- 
lows 

I'JRST — That  "all  papists  shall  be  punished,  as  rebellers  and  gainstan<lers 
of  ncir  sovereign  lord's  anthority, and  as  idol  ilei-<;  and,  that  all  papist  prie^its 
shall  lie  punished  with  manifo  d  civil  and  ecclesiastical  pain»,  as  adversnries 
of  (Jod's  true  religion.  b\  la>v  established  within  this  realm." 

SeCOM)!  Y — Tiiat"lhe  spreaders.  tr'Uie-bringers  and  makers  of  hooks,  or 
Tvrit-  [writing-]  repugnant  to  any  article  of  the  true  relig  ion,  shall  be  pun- 
ibhed." 

TniRDLV — That  "the  ministers  of  the  blessed  evangel  [Word]  who  now 
are,  or  shall  be  hereafter,  raised  up,  agreeing  i-  (li  them  in  d  ictrine;  and  Ihe 
people,  that  profess  Christ  arcordin'/  to  the  Co^ifi  saion  vf  Faith,  consiititte 
the  true  and  hol(  kirk  'f  Je«ns  Christ;  and,  !■  '■—  t' ere  is  no  other  f.ict 
of  kirke.  or  face  of  religion  than  is  presenll\  establ  shed  in  this  realm:  a'ld, 
Iheit  f.,re,  that  religion  presently  professed,  is  to  be«tiled  God's  True  /2e- 
lig-iin."  '  ■  ~ 

FciURTHi.y — That" — all  magistrates,  sheriffs,  etc., shall  search  out, appre- 
hend and  punish  all  cont  raveners :"  and  that  " — the  can«e  of  God  s  true  re- 
ligion and  his  highness'  authorily  are  so  conjoined,  that  the  hurt  of  one  is 

26* 


306 


Assumption  by  the  Reformers.       [E.  Art.  4, 


23d.  That,  in  A.  D.  1595.  the  Reformed  clergy  of  England, 
tyilh  Whitgift  at  iheir  head,  decreed  various  things  in  confirma- 
tion of  ih^l  eternal  prt-destinalion  which  John  Calvin  had  taught 
in  his  creeds,  catechisms,  and  institutes;  the  substance  of  all 
which,  was  afterwards  embodied  in  the  Westminister  confes- 
sion of  faiih  !  (See  Beza.  p.  319,  220.) 

24ih.  Thai,  in  A.  D.  1618,  at  the  Council  or  Synod  ofDoRT, 
the  Reformed  clersry  established  various  decrees,  amongst 
■which  stood  out  in  higli  relief  eteruoi  predestination  and  repro- 
baiion,  as  they  had  before  been  taught  and  enforced  by  John 
Calvin  at  Geneva.    (A  f)    (See  Beza,  p.  150,  and  Hume,  &:c.) 

coiiiiiii>n  to  botli,  ihereforf,  none  shall  be  respected  as  rojal  subjer's  of  oar 
sovereign  lord.J~^  who  shall  not  confess  the  aforesaid  true  rdisrion;  and,  to 
the  ulteriiiost  of  their  power,  fortify,  assist,  and  maintain  the  preaclitrs  [Re- 
formed clergy]  of  the  true  religion,  against  all  gaiiistanders  and  enemie* 
whalsoever." 

Fifthly — That  all  kinjfs  and  princes,  at  their  coronation,  shall  take  a 
tolenin  uath,  in  the  presence  of  the  eternal  God,  that,  during  the  wiiole  time 
of  their  lives,  they  shall  serve  the  same  eternwl  God  to  the  utte'iiiosi  of  thsir 
power— that  '-they  shall  uiainlain  the  inic  relis^on  now  preached  m  thi» 
realm,  by  abolishin'r  and  gain-tand  lug  all  false  re  ligion  contrary  to  the  same;" 
and,  that  "thev  shall  ront  cut  of  the  empire  all  heretics  and  enemits  of  the 
true  worship  of  God — who  shall  be  convicted  of  the  aforesaid  crimes  by  th* 
true  kirke  of  God.'"^ 

Here  ive  behiild  the  Reforired  clergy  in  the  double  attitude  of  grav.  ly  detes- 
i  )g  usurped  pOHer  and  ly  rnnniius  laws  agninsl  christian  liberty  ;  ami  ai  t  .e  same 
time,  causing  to  be  enacted  laws  of  tlie  motl  tyiannous  and  iul>.h  rmit  char- 
acter— laws  by  which  to  persecute  and  hunt  men  from  the  face  of  the  larth. 
AVho  cannot  see,  that  the  Reformed  clergy,  in  their  ^AST1^G — solemnly  cov- 
tniinting — solemnly  leagveing  together;  and,  above  all,  in  their  suUmnly 
swearing — hard  enough  to  mdke  the  good  man's  heart  turn  pale — to  make 
angel-  weep,  and  devils  shout — did  but  steal  what  they  mistook  for  the  liverT 
of  heaven,  that  thence  the»  might,  with  lull  impunity , "smift  the  church  v>it\ 
the  fist  n/tvickedriess."  Wherefjre.  let  the  Reloriued  clergy,  instead  oi  boast- 
ing, that  there  is  not  even  an  insinuation  or  a  wish  to  persecute  in  any  law 
enacted,  or  caused  to  be  enacted  by  men  profes-ing  to  be  proteslants.  lay  their 
bands  upon  their  mouths,  and  henceforth  be  silent  forever! 

(4 _/■)  Buck  informs  us,  that  liarntvell  was  beheaded,  and,  that  the  great 
an(  learnfd  G'ro  ii/j  h as  imprisoned  for  life,  as  consequences  Imwii.g  direct 
from  the  opeiaiion  of  the  decrees  of  the  Synod  of  Dort.  (See  )  ruinians.) 
Here  we  have  not  oni\  an  insinuation  and  wish  to  persecute,  but  pi  i«tcution 
iistif  in  <teed — in  cruel  and  bloody  deeds — involved  ia  the  decrees  of  the 
Keformed  clergy! 

The  sentiment  of  Chrysostom.  in  reference  to  this  point,  stands  !hus:  "The 
ihediling  of  blood  about  r<  liglon  i*  an  evident  token  of  anIi  Chi  isl  "  that 
of  Tcrtulian,  Lanclujiti us,  Ciisi<lerus.  Hm/wnrdus,  and  Joseplius.  imd  of  in- 
jiunierahle  others,  agreed  "in  this,  that  -iieii  must  be  persuaded  to  embrace  re- 
ligion with  reason,  and  notcouiptlled  toit«ith  violence;  that  violence  aod 
compulsion,  from  its  making  sincerity  troublesome,  paves  the  way  t  ^i  hypoc- 
risy to  come  in  and  over  all  prevail;  thai  of  Lncernns  was,  that  he  who  com- 
niandeth  anything  wheiebi  he  bindeth  the  conscience,  this  is  anti  ChrisI; 
and,  thai  reformation  should  be  poli-hed  b\  fair  and  equal  dipsutaiions.  rather 
than  he«  n  out  b\  the  sword  ol  the  civil  ningistrnte;  that  o(  Philipson  n  as.  that 
"they  who  banish  and  perse  cule  people  about  religion,  are  cei  lainl  i  of  that 
Phari-aical  generation  «hn  re-istthe  Holy  Ghost;"Bnd,  thiil  of  JlVt/iio  was,  "1 
know  certainly,  that,  where  the  uiagistiate  shall  banish  with  theswoid  forth* 


Chap.  III.3     Assumption  of  the  false  principle. 


307 


25th.  Thai,  in  A.  D.  1638,  tlie  Reformed  clergy  of  Entiland 
caused  an  instrument — called  the  Solemn  League  and  Cove- 
nant— to  be  a<ioptcd,  snbscrihed  and  .solemnly  sworn  to;  by  the 
tenor  of  which,  each  .subscrilier  or  swearer  became  bound,  in 
the  firmest  manner  possible,  to  m.iintain,  according  to  his 
strength  and  ability,  the  docirine  and  discipline  which  they  liad 
prescribed  and  laid  down  for  the  cliurcli.  (i  g)  See  Hist, 
of  the  Asso,  Ref.  Presbytery,  p.  144. 

sake  of  religion,  there  is  no  true  knowledge,  spiiiluhl  VVoid,  nor  church  of 
Chrisl!"    (See  VVooil  s  Hist.  Mnrtvrs.) 

Neverlhele*s,  Calvin  and  his  successors  were  strenuous  advocates  fas  seen 
above,)  for  the  sword  of  the  niagistiate,  and  consequentlv  used  it  as  the  in- 
strument bv  which  to  execute  all  their  aiiil)itiou<  and  bloody  purposes, — i  e, 
until,  from  the  whisperings  of  leason  and  hunianit>  ,  inagi-Irates  themselves 
beffan  to  take  shame,  and  ihence  refused  lonovr  to  yield  themselves  or  their 
gwords  as  clerical  instruments  to  put  men  to  death  for  their  opinions. 

Other  passions  fluctuate  and  die,  but  orthodox  haired  fjrows  stronger  and 
stronR'er,  as  men  grow  more  orthodox.  The  Reformed  clergy  looked  upon 
all  who  opposed  thVir  orthodoxy  as  their  enemies,  and,  being  disinclined  eith- 
er to  jiray  f^r,  or  to  love  them  as  llie  Lord  had  enjoined,  they  fell  to  hating; 
them  with  a  (jerfect  lialred — osiensibhffrora  zad,  as  if  ihey  were  the  enemies 
of  God,  but  really  from  indwellintf  wi  ath,  in  their  own  unrei^eiierated  souls, 
berau«e  they  oppo-ed  their  opinions,  and  thence  their  seizing  upon  the  do- 
minion of  the  church  as  lords  over  (iod's  heritage. 

fiiit,  when  men  hate  for  Gods  sake,  they  never  know  where  to  stop  on  this 
side  of  blood,  if  not  of  fire  and  brimstone;  lor,  thev  think  the  more  thoroug-ljly 
they  hate,  the  ni  ire  godly  they  are,  or,  at  least,  the  more  godlv  they  appear; 
and,  consequently,  the  more  they  can  torment  God's  enemies — the  heretics, 
namely,  those  who  oppose //leir  o(>inions — the  nioieiheydo  show  forth  to  the 
astonished  world  their  love  (oGod.  And,  tliis  wrath,  from  the  abyss  of  hell, 
thev  call  rf  lisious  zeal — making  one  with  true  divinity — forgetting  that  the 
only  TKUK  I)IV|^'ITY  is  IN  humanity! 

Jorlin  states,  that  after  (he  nien)l)ers  ol  the  Synod  of  Dort  had  returned — • 
flushe'l  with  victory — two  of  them  beiny  in  company  a-ked  a  Remonstrant, 
in  ail  exulting  tone,  what  he  was  ihinking  on  wiih  that  ^rave  and  woful  face? 
"  I  was  thinking,  gentlemen,"  said  he,  "of  a  controverted  question — who  was 
the  author  of  sin? — Adam,  it  seems,  shifted  it  off  from  himself,  and  laid  it 
upon  his  wife;  she  laid  it  upon  the  serpent;  the  serpent  was  then  young  and 
bashful,  and  had  not  a  word  lo  say  I'or  himself;  bul,  at  length  growing  older 
and  more  auilacioiis,  he  went  to  the  Synod  of  Dort,  and  there  had  the  assur- 
ance to  charge  it  upon  (Jod  himself-    (See  Beza,  p.  150.1 

In  these  days  the  Reformed  clergy  manifested  their  piety  by  establishing  a 
decree  b)'  which  all  papists  were  forbidden  "  to  partake  of  the  sports,  that  is 
of  dancing,  archery,  leapi'g.  May  games,  whils  nal's,  niorrice  dances,  setting 
up  May  poles,  etc..  whii'h  were  provided  for  his  Majesty's  Goon  subjects  on 
the  Lord's  day  after  divine  service!  '    (See  Buck's  Die. — Sports. 

(4  ff)  The  following  is  a  short  extract  from  "  The  Solemn  League  and  Cov- 

tfinn/:"viz. — •'          We  have  now  at  last"  "  det<-rniined  to  enter  into  a 

tolenn  lens^ue  and  covenant,  wherein  we  all  subscribe,  and,  each  one  of  us 
for  himseli,  with  our  hands  lifted  up  io  the  .Most  High  God,  do  swear: — 

"  I.  That  we  shall  sincerely  endeavor  the  preservation  of  the  reformed  reli- 
gion, in  doctrine  and  discipline,  again  !  our  common  enemies. 

"  II  That  we  shall  endeav'.r  the  extirpation  of  po[)ery,  p'elacy,  heresy,  etc. 

'•  III.  That  we  shall  endeavor  to  preserve  the  king's  m  jesty,  person,  and 
authority,  in  the  preservai  ,n  and  defence  of  the  true  rellf;ion,"  etc. 

"  And  this  covenant  we  make  in  the  prei>ence  of  Almighty  God,  the  searcher 


308  Assumption  of  the  False  Principle.       [E.  Art.  4. 


26tli.  That,  in  A.  D.  1644.  at  the  cflehrmed  Convention  or 
Synod  of  Wkstminsper,  ihe  Reformed  c'.ersy  di-vitied  aud 
prescribed  various  decrees,  and  wrote  cut  the  grievousness 
v  lneh  ihey  had  preserihed  in  ihatfnmous  booi;  called  the  CoNr 
FESsioN  OF  Faith.    ('^  h)    (See  Con.  Faith  I'/se//".) 


of  all  lif-arts,  with  a  true  iiueniion  to  perform  the  same,  as  we  shall  answer  at 
thai  great  da_\,"  etc. 

(4  h.)  The  hr  l  iined  assembly  of  Westminster  (presump'uously  railed 
•'Tilt  As^emblv  of  DlVl.NKS  at  Wr-slmirisler)  \va*  rom|jofed  of  some  forty  of 
tile  Reforiiiec'  (•lerg\ — eJi.  h  of  whom,  before  proceeding:  to  business — berause 
solemn  swearing  was  the  older  of  the  day,  and  therefore  highly  indicative  of 
the  lal-ene!->  and  hypocrisy  of  their  slate  — took  the  oath  here  l'uilo"in^: 

"  I,  A  B,do  solemnly  swear  in  the  presence  of  Almij^hly  God,  thai,  in  this 
assembly  ivh.reof  I  ;ini  a  inenioer,  I  «ill  ;!iainlaui  nothing,  in  point  of  DOC- 
TRl.Mi.  I'lit  what  I  hilieve  to  be  nio>t  agreeal)le  to  the  Word  ol  God;  nor,  in 
point  of  DIsCU'LlINIi,  b.il  «  hat  may  n:ake  mo>t  for  God's  glory  and  the  peace 
and  good  of  the  church"!!    (See  Con.  K.,  p.  18,  Kdin.  ed.) 

Strange  as  it  may  apjjear, 'till  it  is  not  the  less  true,  that  tUe  Reformed 
clergy,  from  thus  sweating  lhem>eh  es,  as  if  they  had  ihrnce  actually  received 
a  formal  cominis-ion  from  on  high — clothing  them  with  plenary  power  to 
give  laus  of  faith  and  order  to  the  ciiurcli — did  thence  actually  pn  re.  d — 
from  the  imagination  of  the  thought  of  iheir  own  heart— in  the  liist  pUce.  to 
devise  and  fi ainc  docti  ines  of  f.  iili  for  the  church,  such  as  they  were  pleased 
to  think  or  say  were  most  agreeable  to  the  Word  of  God;  anil,  iu  Ihe  second 
place,  disciplinary  hiws  of  order  and  government,  such  as  they  were  pleated  lo 
tliijik  or  say  were  most  for  God's  glory,  (not  forgetting  their  own  in  (he  mean 
time — i^ee  note  .3  /(and  Bi  za.  p.  250,;  and  ilie  peace  ol  tlie  church! 

I  he  son  of  JNibal,  «ho  niade  I-iail  to  sin,  labored  hard  to  mould  and  fa- 
shion his  TWO  C.U.VI.S  alter  the  imagination  of  ihe  thought  of  his  own  heart, 
and  thence  to  their  sulhorilaiive  eslablishment,  the  fir»t  at  Bk.THEI..  near  the 
centre  of  the  tribes  of  Krael,  and  the  second  at  I)AN,  in  the  outer  border,  no 
that,  by  these  means,  he  miglit  lule  over  the  chuich  from  Dan  to  Uelhel,  or 
from  the  circuinferriK  e  to  the  centre! 

And  the  sons  of  (,'aKin,  who  caused  the  church  to  sin.  labored  hard  to 
would  or  fashion  their  two  grand  points  or  heads,  namelv  DoCTtlliM",  and  niS- 
ClI'MMi.  after  the  imagination  of  the  thought  of  their  l  \  ii  heart,  and  Ihi  nce 
to  their  authoritative  establishmt  nt, — the  drsl  at  or  near  the  centre  of  the 
church,  so  as  tlieiic.e  to  rule  her  as  to  the  things  of  truth  -or  faith,  ansivering  to 
Bethcl;lhe  second  at  Ihe  border  orexleriial,  answering  to  Dan,  so  as  thence  to 
rule  her  cxtei  nail)  ,  from  the  doctiiiusof  faith  unbilled  within ;  and,  in  a 
word,  that  they  also,  by  means  ol  Iheir  discipline  and  doctrine,  like  Jeroboam, 
n)i:;ht  rule  over  the  church  from  Dan  lo  Bethel — froiu  the  circumference  to 
the  centre  ! 

liul  the  inventions  of  Jeroboam  and  his  successors  caused  Israel  to  fall  into 
dai  kness,  and  thence  to  forsake  the  law  of  the  Lrrd,  and  Jerusulein.  the  <  ',ly 
of  their  solemnities — until  iSey  became  consunimaled  am  removed  from  Ihe 
piesence  of  the  I.oi  d;  and,  <  orrespondi  ntly.  the  inveinions  of  ("alvin  an  l  his 
BUrc<s-or«  (the  fieloimed  clergy)  caused  the  church  to  tall  backwards  into 
gross  darkness,  so  that  now  thi  word  of  the  Lord  has  be"-ome  to  her  as  a  sen  led 
book;«o  that  now  she  knousnut  in  what  direction  lo  cast  her  eyes  to  see  the 
New  Jerusalem  which  is  aliove  all — Coming  down  from  God  out  of  heaven; 
and  so,  that  now  ^he  has  become  ess-nliallv  consummated  and  removed  from 
the  pie-ence  of  (iod  —  in  which  there  is  no  darkness  at  all. 

The  sons  oflsrai  l  dancid  around  the  priestly  invention  of  Aaron: — and  in 
the  preface  to  llie  As-embl\ 's  Catechism,  it  injy  be  seen,  that  Fisher  and 
F.i  skine — instead  of  dancing  like  David  bi  fore  the  ark  ol  the  Testimonv.  b(  - 
fore  the  Word  of  the  Lord — danced  around  the  iuvtiitiuns  which  men  of  like 


Chap.  III.]     Assumption  of  the  Principle,  etc. 


309 


27ih.  That,  in  A.  D.  1815,  ihe  Reformed  clergy  caused,  that 
the  dogmas  whicli  they  liad  devised,  framed,  and  written,  should 


pai!>isn<  with  lhcn)selves.  had  set  up  and  eslabllshed.  The  foriDer  danrc'  and 
suri^,  or  shouted,  "These  be  Uiy  (Jods,  O  Isiael,  which  brought  Ihee  up  out 
of  the  laiul  o(  K^ypl!"  The  liitier  dmiced  and  echoed  back,  "  Nothing  lends 
more  to  the  advaiuage  and  well  beniff  of  ihc  church,  than  a  sound  standard 
of  doctrine  and  discipline,  e-tablished  \iy  ecclesiastical  and  civil  authority,  as 
ours  are."  Coucecuina^  ivhich.  il  may  be  sufficient  to  observe,  in  this  place, 
that  tlieirdancinss  and  shoutings  being  essentially  the  saiue,  so  also,  of  neces- 
sity, must  be  their  gods  thence  praised! 

Again,  by  turning  to  the  Confession  of  Faith  itself,  (Edin.  ed.,)  and  locking 
at  the  preface,  the  Rtlorniers  njay  be  'een  dancing  arount*  that  priestly  inven- 
tion with  such  zeal  aseven  to  unrover  themselves  in  tiie  lace  oflieaven!  -Nay, 
that  such  is  the  fact  is  evident  from  their  shoutings  there  exhibited,  and  which 
are  as  lollows; — "Creeds  and  breviaries  have  ever  been  singulai'ly  nseiul; 
and  it  is  an  eminent  mercy  to  enjoy  such  helps  as  these  are."  "The\  have 
been  in  the  church  ever- since  the  time  that  (iod  wrote  the  decalogue.' 

But,  how  it  is,  that  the  Kd'ornied  clergy  uncover  ttieiuselve?  by  such  shout- 
ings may  be  plaird>  -een  from  this,  thai  it  was  at  the  very  time  lliat  Moses 
was  receiving  the  decalogue  at  the  hands  of  God,  that  Aaron,  Ihe  priest,  was 
inventing,  fashioning,  and  polisliing  his  crceJ,  breviary,  or  CALf!  And,  it 
was  at  the  very  time  that  i\loses  would  have  preseriied  to  them  the  decalogue 
written  with  ihe  finger  of  God,  that  they  were  dancin ;  aronrd  Aaron's  in- 
venlion,  and  shouting  aloud  its  praists'! — ^hou'.ing  doubtless  Oralit  was  sing- 
ularlv  iiseliil;  and,  that  it  wa<  "  an  eminent  meic\  tu  enjoy  so  great  a  help," 
as  it  had  been,  in  bringing  them  up  out  of  the  land  ol  Egipt! 

Nor  is  this  all,  lor,  in  the  same  place,  the  Reforinea  <  leigy  may  be  heard 
shouting,  as  follow*:  "  In  this  book  [meaning  the  Coiifessiou  of  l''aith]  are 
reduced  to  their  proper  lierids  all  tht  things  of  the  VVurd  so  that  the  leay  of 
Snii~il^'<il  knoicledge  is  jnnde  more  easy."  Hut  her  e  the  Reformed  clerg)  again 
snamele-sly  uncover  thfniselvi;s.  They  seem  as  if  they  were  not  aware,  tliat 
Jeroboam,  iu  shr)uting  the  praises  of  the  breviaries  which  he  had  invented, 
must,  of  necessity,  have  bhoutcd  easenliatlv  the  same  wav  : — namely,  lha;  all 
th«  things  of  the  temple,  the  ark,  and  the  testimony  at  Jerusalem,  were  re- 
duced lo  fheir  proper  heads,  and  nlliuialelv  represented,  and  set  forth  'u  the 
peculiar  expression  of  Iris  (wo  cilves;  and,  that  these,  his  labor  saving  inven- 
tions, rendered  the  way  to  heaven  more  easy  than  lh;t  (irescribed  b\  JVIoses; 
and,  in  a  word,  that — It  ii'its  too  much  labor  for  all  Israel  to  go  up  to  Jerusa- 
lem!   (See  1  Kings  12.  28  ) 

But,  concerning  the  proper  heads  spoken  of  by  the  Reformed  clergy,  namely, 
th»se  to  which  they  have  very  officiously  reduced  all  Ihe  things  of  the  VVoid, 
(so  as  thence  to  cut  short  Ihe  way  01  heaven,  as  if  it  were  indeed  true,  that 
it  is  loo  much  laljor  for  all  the  riien  of  the  chui'ch  to  go  up  to  Ihe  law  and  the 
testimony  each  for  himself,)  it  is  lo  be  specially  noted,  in  Ihe  first  place,  that 
they  are  none  other  than  those  before  stated,  nariiely,'doctrine  and  disi:i  |pline, 
and,  in  the  second  place,  thai  there  are  two  grand  dogmas  which  the  Reformed 
clergy  have  adi)()ted,  and  which  may  justly  be  conceived  of,  as  of  two  great 
gateways  opening  direct  from  the  aby-s, — through  the  first  of  which  to  brin^ 
into  the  church  vast  quantities  of  reductions  of  the  IVord,  falsely  labelled 
SCHIPTURE  CONSKQUCNCES,  as  maierials  from  which  are  framed  the  head  of 
DOCTRINE — the  first  grand  head  of  the  clerical  system — set  up  in  spiiilual 
Bethel;  ft.  e.  the  house,  or  place  in  the  church  resei  ved  for  the  God  of 
Truth,  or  Word  of  Truth  alone] — and  through  the  second  of  which  gales  to 
bring  into  and  over  the  church  vast  quantities  of  reiluctions  of  the  Word, 
falsely  labelled  "  UGHT  OF  NATURE" — "  CHIIISTIAN  PiiUDENCE,"  elC,  aS 
materials  from  which  are  iVanied  ihe  head  of  DISCIPLINE — (or  church  govern- 
meut) — the  second  grand  head  of  the  clerical  system— ^et  up  in  spiritual  DAN — 


310    Tht  Ref.  Clergy  gifted  with  a  Two-fold  Will.   [E .  Art  4 . 


be  established  by  acts  of  parliament,  nnd  thence  become  the 
laws  of  the  .and.    (4  i)    (See  Con.  of  Faith,  p.  177,  399.) 

the  place  of  judgment  In  tlie  church  from  truth  wUhin, — thus  the  place  of 
stil  goveniiiier!*  Iroiii  Ilit  Lord. 

B(it,  befor.'  we  pioceed  larther,  let  the  dogmas  theinsHliesbe  stated,  which 
it  is  said  sho;:IJ  bt;  thu*  roiii-tived  of,  ar)d  which  the  Refoniied  rlerjiy  have 
adu|ited.  They  are  as  fo'lows:  1.  "  Plain  and  necessary  scripture  c^in-i  quen- 
ces  are  to  be  admitted  as  a  p^rl  of  the  rule,  [to  direct  us  to  heaven,]  a-  well 
as  express  scripture."  2  'There  are  liiin;;s  conctruing  the  wor«lii|T  ut'God, 
and  the  government  of  his  church,  which  .ire  to  ordered  by  tlie  li^Lta  of 
nature  and  chris-tian  pruiVnce."    [Sto  A,.  Cat.  part  I,  p.  15,  17,2J.j 

Tliese,  reader,  are  the  Wio  j-  rand  entrances  which  the  clergy,  from  tinie  im- 
jiieiiiorial,  have  seized,  and  t'  rough  which  uie\  have  inlroduced,  iVom  the 
ah\ss,  nil  the  ab.iniinatioiis,  win  ther  of  doctrine  or  discipline  under  which  the 
church  ha.'  ever  groaned.  These  an  the  (  ntranct  s  wl  ich  the  Reform.-d  clergy , 
Bssnnblcd  al  V\'estinins(er,  presumptuously  seized, —  tSat  they, and  they  alone, 
iinirht  bring  into  the  church  their  i  ednclii)ns  of  the  Word — labellrd  -'Scrip- 
ture coi)s(C|U(-ntiiils" — •'Christian  prin'cniidls,"  etc.;  that  they  niigh)  pel  I'ect 
and  cuni|<lite  llie  two  grand  heads  ol  the  ('onl'e~sion  of  Faith,  nnd  thence 
can^e  them  to  bee-tHblishtd  as  the  laws  of  the  land;  and,  ultiinut(  l\ ,  that 
tlit-y  ilieuiselves  might  obtain  the  dominion  and  rule  over  the  church,  froDX 
Bdhel  even  to  Uan! 

11  the  expression  of  coiinteni^nce,  or  the  prominent  features  of  these  heads, 
be  inquired  afttr,  let  it  suliice  to  say  that,  i"?  il  regards  the  first,  a  few  of  its 
proiiiineMt  letlnres  nv\y  he  seen  in  tfie  fdlowin;;  dogmas:  1.  Of  and  c  >ijcern- 
jng  a  Trinity  of  I'ersoiis,  each  ver^  God;  2d.  of  riedtslination,  or  elt  rnal  and 
particular  Kliclion  and  Reprobation;  3d.  of  Forenrdinal ion  of  Sin;  4ih.  of 
tlie  two-lbid  ivili  of  God;  5ih.  of  the  Execution  of  (Jod's  Decieeshy  his  I'rov- 
idenci-;  tith.  of  Imputed  Righteousness,  involving  Imputeil  Sin;  7lh.  of  Vica- 
rious S.iiisldCtion  iir  Aloueiiu  nt:  Sih  ii(  the  Covenants  of  W  nrks  and  (.race; 
9lh.  ol  Man's  Impotence;  I'ltli.  of  Kfl'ertnal  Calling;  11th.  of.lusl  ticall.^n  for 
the  Comm.ssion  of -in  in  the  fi:tnre  len.-e ;  12tli.  of  iVo'.!-i  epenlance,  etc.  .And 
as  it  regards  the  second  iiead.  I  t  il  suiTict.  to  say,  that  In  notes  3/i,3t.  .'Jfc,  3/, 
tulticlent  has  been  said,  at  Ic-a-i  :  >  show,  that  the  exprr  ssinn  of  the  connlen  nice, 
along  wiib  all  the  prominent  feaiuresol  that  head, are  highlv  indicati\ e  of  the 
Itist  of  doniinioo  in  the  Keformed  clergy,  over  the  things  of  heaven. 

(4  i.)  That  the  Refoi  med  ch  r^y  were  similai  ly  gilted  with  Calvin  their 
great  exem|ihir,  iihiik  Iv,  williatao  foldw  .il,  nnci  (hence  avoii  eor  speech 
coi  respfjiidin^ — the  one  os'cnsitjle  ;'ud  plan ?il>le,  accommodated  to  the  [uipular 
ear  ol  the  worUI — and  the  oilier  llowing  irom  their  real  will,  de-igned  more 
pai  ticularh  fur  the  ears  of  ihcir  creatures  and  slavei,  may  be  seen  from  the 
things  here  fidlowing; 

I-  iiiST:  the  vo'Cc:  (lowing  from  the  specious  will  speaks  thu*;  "  The  Reformed 
cler^^  iiid  (e-tiiy  in  a  speci:il  niamn  r,  ihul  the  Lord  Jesns  is  the  oiil\  head  of 
hi- church,  against  all  tho-ewho,  in  those  days,  (the  hi  giiining  lif  the  Rt  inrni- 
atii'iO  had  usurped  or  claimed  the  right  to  make  laws  for  it,  and  hence  to 
hold  it  in  subjeclinn  to  their  will." — "The  great  ()Ui«i iuo  between  the  wit- 
nesses of  Christ,  [meaning  the  Reformed  cleigv]  and  Aiitichi  i-t  [nieaiiicg  the 
Caiholli  cleigyl  was,  w  in  ther  the  word  of  God  or  the  tradiliims  and  com- 
niaiidiiients  of  men  are  the  rule  of  taith  and  practice;  the  man  of  sin  ti^liting 
ill  lavor  of  the  latter,  uiili  tlie  fu'-  of  a  roaring  lion  «l  one  time,  and  with  the 
«ul>llet\  of  a  serpent  at  annlher,  wnile  the  Lord's  remnant  fought  for  the  Word 
alone  as  tl^e  satesi  guide  lo  heaven."    Sec  Te-t,  As-  I'.e-.  p,  9. 

But  tlie  voice  (lovTing  from  the  re.il  will  of  the  SMme  men  .spe  iks  thus:  "  With- 
out some  piibli.  lulhiiritati*  ej  confessmn  [expression]  of  (aith,  heretics  could 
not  lie  excluded  and  kept  out  of  the  church;  lher,fiire,  we  testif\  against  all 
who  oppo'e  a  |  ;.')lic  contc  .ion  of  faith  in  the  cliuri  h."  ('''e-(,  p.  120.)  "  The 
prote-sion  of  l.^  lll  reqi.  w  (  d  of  those  ailmitled  to  the  l.ible  of  the  Lord  shall  be 
an  adherence  to  the  (ollowiiig  thing.-:  1st,  to  the  Westminster  Confessioo  of 


Chap.  III.  J  The  Memorabfe  Gale-way  a  from  the  Abyss.    3 1 1 

29i!i.  T'lat  in  llie  s;)me  year  (see  the  lust)  the  Rpformed 
clergy  of  New  England,  in  the  synod  or  council  of  Cambridge, 

Faith;  2d, to  the  Larger  and  Shorler  Calerhi-im;  3d,  to  the  Uir'clory  of  Pub- 
lic \Voisln|i;  and  4lh,  to  the  Dec.  and  Test,  ol  il.e  Associate  PrfshUery." 
Concerning  which,  it  is  to  he  noticed,  tliat,  in  the  fonr  pur;;al ive  jullii  to  be 
8wallo>v<d,  before  admission  ran  be  had  to  a  seat  at  the  table, — ai  d  which  no 
man  except  he  be  a  solefidian — a  man  all  failli  may  even  attempt  to  swallow, — 
the  w  )rd  of  the  Lord  is  not  even  iianiKi;  all  their  boastingn  from  their  spe- 
cious, plausible,  or  popular  voice  in  favor  of  it,  to  the  contrary  notwilh- 
itandin;'. 

SKC(..M>r,y :  the  speech  flowing-  from  the  ostensible  will  speaks  thus:  that 
"God  h1  )ne  is  the  Lord  of  the  cunscitr.ce,  and  the  aullior  ajid  fiidshir  of  all 
the  rnlrs  of  faith,  government  and  worship  in  tlie  chnrch." — that  ••  the  man 
who  |)T  esunies  to  dictate  the  failli  of  the  church,  seals  his  fate  as  the  man  of 
sin — silling  in  the  temple  ol  God — allecling  to  do  his  woik  by  a  horrid  usurpa- 
tion;"—  that  '-no  niHO  has  more  authority  to  institute  a  new  -talnte  or  rule  in 
the  hou5»i  of  God,  than  to  aiid  a  new  worlil  to  his  dominions;"' — that  "Christ 
hai  fixed  and  pronounced  in  his  word,  every  law  uiul  oniinance  w-iiirh  hij 
church  is  ever  to  eiijov;" — that  tlie  Lord  will  not  share  his  throne  with  miser- 
able t\  runts — claiming  power  to  give  laws  to  his  church  and  kingdom; — that 
prlesliv  ci  crds  are,  at  be't,  but  the  dropsied  ofispring  of  mere  human  opinion — 
emanal! ms  from  tlie  passions  of  earth — loo  gross  to  rise  above  earth's  exhala- 
tions, ur  elevate  the  I  unian  hope  to  ti.e  seraph's  abode ;  that  "  they  who  go  lo 
any  human  bar  or  judge  for  the  rule  of  faith,  are  reproved  by  the  Woril,  as 
they  who  make  flesh  their  arm,  whose  heart  d'-parts  from  the  Lord. — and  who 
go  to  the  dead  lo  seek  the  living;" — thai  •'  the  laws  of  men  are  imperfect;  but 
that  the  law  of  God  is  [)ei  fcct  converting  the  soul;"  and  finally,  that  "  when 
men  enact  laws  it  needs  must  be, either  because  they  esteem  those  they  already 
have  as  obnoxious,  or  as  unintelligible,  and  llierelore  as  good  as  none;  but, 
nevertheless,  that  all  the  phignes  w  ritten  in  the  Word  shall  be  addetl  to  them 
that  pre~Mine  lo  add  new  laws  to  the  code  of  heaven,  or  lo  set  up  theii-  post* 
beside  God's  posts — planted  and  established  forever.  '  (See  Urownlee  s  Con- 
troversy ) 

But,  the  voice  flowing  from  the  real  will,  as  referred  to  the  same  author, 
speaks  thus:  "The  Reformed  clergy  are  authorized  lo  meet  in  synods,  and 
thence  to  eniit  their  canons,  [rules  of  faith]  so  that  heretics  n)a\  be  excluded 
and  kept  out  of  tiie  chnrcli ,  for  it  is  not  sulticient  for  a  man  to  take  the  Word, 
as  it  is,  for  the  rule  of  his  faith,  unless  he  also  take  it  in  the  precise  sense  and 
meaning  in  which  we  have  interpreted  and  expressed  it."    (.See  p.  13.) 

TmiinLif:  the  Reformed  clergy  of  the  school  of  Calvin,  in  speaking  against 
the  creed  or  discipline  of  those  of  the  school  of  Craniiier,  speak  from  the  spe- 
cious or  plausible  will  as  follows:  "Long  and  sad  experience  hath  made  it 
nianifes',  thai  the  liturgy  of  the  Church  of  Kngland  hath  proved  an  olfeuce  to 
thegodh  both  at  home  and  abroad.  The  tilings  contained  in  it  have  occasioned 
much  mischief,  as  well  as  di-qmeting  the  C',n-cieiu  e  of  many  godly  ministers 
and  people  who  could  not  yield  lo  them, — as  being  lhereb^  deprived  of  the 
ordinances  of  God  — which  they  might  not  enjoy  without  conforming  and  sub- 
scribing lo  things  in  which  ihey  had  no  faith.  Good  Christians  have  been 
kept  back  from  the  Lord's  table,  and  faithful  ministers  debarreil  from  the  ex- 
ercise of  their  ministry,  [in  a  time  of  such  scarcity  of  faithful  pastors  as  this  is,] 
to  the  endangering  of  ihou-anrls  of  souls,  if  not  to  llieiuselves  and  families. 
Prelates  and  their  creatures  have  laboied  to  raise  the  esteem  of  the  liturgy  to 
such  a  height,  as  if  there  were  no  other  way  to  heaven  than  through  it.  I'apists 
have  boasted,  that  the  book  in  question  is  a  compliance  with  them  in  the 
greater  [  art  of  their  service,  thus  its  tendency  is  rather  to  coiiGrui  theiu  in  the 
error  of  their  way,  than  to  r<  prove  and  reform  theiii. 

"  \V  herefore  the  -  aid  bonk  hath  been,  and  ever  will  be,  if  continued,  a  matter 
of  endl'j'-s  itrife  and  con  ten  lion  in  the  church  ;  and  a  snare  to  the  godly  and  faitb- 
ministers  who  have  already  been  persecuted  and  silenced  by  means  of  it,— 


312    Assumption  of  thelaw-maldng  Principle,  etc.  [E.Art.4. 


framed  what  is  called  the  Cambridge  plaiforin,  after  the  model 
of  the  Weslmin?ier  confession  of  faith,  and,  that  the  Saybrook 


many  of  whom,  on  arconnt  of  it  have  been  diverCecl,  from  all .tliousfhts  of  the 
iiiini-try,  to  other  stULl'iKa,  although  tlitse  be  the  days  wherein  Goii  votich- 
s»felh  to  his  peoi.le  more  anJ  belter  means  for  the  discovery  of  error  and 
snper^t'ition,  and  for  attaining  true  know  ledge  in  the  mysteries  of  godliness." 
[See  Conf.  of  Faith.  Edin.  ed.) 

Frotu  the  very  eloquent  appeal  of  the  disciples  of  Calvin,  just  noticed,  we 
migh'  \ery  rationally  conrliide,  that  they  were  about  to  discard  the  dadilions 
and  commandments  of  "  en,  and  cleave,  in  deed  and  in  truth,  to  the  Word,  as 
the  rule  and  directory  by  which  to  be  fruided  in  all  things  periaining^  to  life 
and  salvation.  Bui,  that  the  whole  tirade  is  but  another  specimen  of  the 
voire  flowing  from  the  ostensible  or  popular  will,  becomes  evident  by  compar- 
ing; it  with  that  flowinp;  Mmui  iheir  real  will,  on  the  same  subject  and  occasion, 
wherein  they  proceed  thus:  "  Upon  these,  and  many  the  like  considerations, 
(that  we  may  satisfy  our  own  consciences,  and  the  desires  of  the  godly  among 
ourselves)  we  have,  after  ear  nest  calliiif;  upon  the  name  of  God,  and  consulla- 
tion  v^lth  the  Word,  resolved  to  lay  aside  the  former  Liturgy,  aird  instead 
thereof,  have  agreed  upon  (he  DirfctoUY  here  following,  viz.  '  etc.  etc.  But, 
concerning  iht  Directory  her  e  spokerr  of  as  agreed  upon,  ahtr  tamest  prayer 
and  coiisnllation  vitli  the  Jf'ord,  etc.  it  is  to  be  known  that,  instead  of  its 
being  the  won!  of  the  Lord  whose  yoke  is  easy,  it  was  none  ot her  than  another 
yok<-  still  more  galling  to  the  people,  and  men  of  the  church  generallv,  than 
the  I.ilnrgy  discarded!  and,  that  the  only  aliernalive  1>  ft  was  to  snbmii  to  it, 
galling  as  it  might  be,  with  all  reverence  and  submission,  or  be  excommuni- 
cated to  Satan,  arid  thence  hunted  and  persecuted  to  death  with  fire  and 
»wor<l ! 

Fourthly:  the  voice  of  the  Ref.  clergy,  flowing  from  the  popular  will, 
speaks  thus:  'Nothing  can  be  a  perfect  rule  or  guide  to  heaven  but  the 
revealed  will  of  God;  and  ihf  refore  it  is  not  suliicient  to  say,  that  the  Word 
is  the  principal  rule  and  directory,  because  this  would  leave  room  for  us  to 
conci  ive  another  rule  beside  it.' 

^  Bnl,that  from  their  real  will  speak"  thus:  'Creeds  and  breviaries  [rules and 
directions]  have  ever  been  singular  ly  useful.  They  have  been  in  use  in  the 
church  ever  since  God  wr  ote  the  Decahigrie.' — '  There  are  many  things  con- 
cerning the  worship  of  God.  and  the  government  of  his  church,  which  are  to 
be  onTered  [by  the  cleruyj  by  the  li'^ht  of  nature  and  christian  prudence.' 
(See  Ass.  Cat.  part  I.  |).  15  lo  21.) 

Fifthly:  the  popular  will  thus:  "  Men  aie  to  believe  nothing^,  in  point  of 
dutv.  bril  what  they  are  lBuf;ht  in  the  Word;  seeing  it  alone  is  of  divine 

authority."    "  hrrman  inventions,  traditions,  and  coinmandmenis  of  men, 

make  no  part  of  the  rule:  and  therefore  are  not  to  be  added  lo  the  Word." 

But  rhe  real  will  —  thus:  "Good,  plain,  and  necessary  scripture  consequen- 
ces are  to  be  admilled  as  a  part  of  the  rule,  as  well  as  cx]'ress  scripture  "  (lb.) 
"  The  ordained  ministers,  [meannrg  the  Ref.  clergyj  and  they  alone,  are  the 
Stewards  ol  the  mysteries  of  the  Word."  (Ibiil,  pait  2,  p.  129.)  "  They  have 
authr  ity  to  meet  rn  synod,  and  decree  what  is  fit  respecting  doctrine  and 
discipline; — the  Word  being  iheirnrle;  and,  if  consonant  with  the  Word, 
fi.  e.  if  sanctioned  and  ratilii  d  by  the  arm  of  the  civil  poiver)  it  is  the  duty  of 
the  [men  of  the]  church  to  submit  with  reverence  lo  their  decisions."  'Test, 
p.  128.)  "  All  who  do  not  profess  their  fHilh  in  the  whole  of  the  doctrines 
decreed  by  the  clergy  in  synod,  and  set  out  in  the  confession  of  faith  and  cat- 
echisms, shall  be  excluded  from  all  the  ordinances  of  the  church  of  God,  as 
opposers  nf  God's  true  religion."   (See  As«.  Cat.  part  1,  p.  230.  231.  2;?2.) 

Sixthly:  the  popular  will  thus:  "The  Lord  alone  is  the  Lor-d  of  the  con» 
science;  and  it  is  an  horrid  nsurpalion  lo  deprive  a  man  of  that  freedom  necei- 
iarv  lo  fr  eely  do  the  will  of  hrs  Lord  and  Master." 

But  the  real  will  thus:  "If  any  man,  under  pretence  of  christian  liberty, 


Chap.  III.]    Clerical  Hypocrisy — Ever  Memorable.  313 


platform  was  framed  about  sixty  years  afterwards,  by  the  Re- 
formed clergy  of  Connecticut  and  New  Haven.  (See  Hist. 
U.  Siates.) 


(ball  publish  opinions  contrary  to  the  doctrine  and  discipline  which  Chriit 
fnieaiiing  themselves — the  Ref.  clergy]  has  establi'theil  in  lh«  church,  such 
man  shall  be  ()roceeded  apainst  by  the  censures  of  the  church,  and  the  power 
of  the  civil  niaijistrate,"  etc.  (See  note  3  h.) 

Sev  en  i  hlv  :  the  popular  will  thti«:  ■■  The  Scriptures  are  the  well  furnished 
dispeniatory  of  all  sovereign  remedies;  and  the  only  unerrinj;  coaipass  to 
guide  us  all  to  the  liaven  of  glory."  (As.  Cat.  part  1,  p.  15  to  21.) 

But  the  real  will  llius:  •'  Nothino;  tends  more  to  the  well  being  [health]  of 
the  rhun  h  than  sound  standards  of  doctrine  and  discipline,  ettablished  by 
•cclciaslical  and  civil  laws,  as  ours  are."    (See  note  4a.) 

ElGHTHr,y :  the  popular  will  thus:  ■'  The  government  of  the  church  it  upon 
the  shoulders  of  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  her  king,"  etc. 

Bui  the  real  will  thus:  "Christ  has  given  officers,  and  instituted  ecclesias- 
tical governors  over  his  church;  and  to  the  establ  shiiienl  of  which  he  gave  to 
the  Apo«tles  the  keys  ot  the  kingdom  of  heaven,"  etc.    (See  Con .  A.  R.  C.) 

NlNTiIi.V;  the  pop'ilar  will  thus:  "Do  you  believe  the  Scrijitures  of  the 
Old  and  iVcw  Testament  to  be  the  only  and  perfect  rule  of  faith  and  practice, 
to  which  nothing  is  to  be  added  or  taken  away  by  traditions  of  men  or  other- 
wise 

But  (he  "eal  will  thus:  "  Do  you  receive  the  doctrine  contained  in  the  con- 
fession of  Caiih  and  catechisms  as  the  KXl'RESSION  of  your  failh?"  (ll)id.) 

Tli>-THI.v.  and  finally:  the  popular  will  thus:  •'We  detest  the  usurped 
power  and  .inlhoritv  of  Antichrist — his  making  tyrannous  law«  against  chris- 
tian lil;erty,and  all  his  vain  traditions  br;>ughl  into  the  kirk  without  the  word 
of  God." 

But  the  real  will  thus:  "  And  we  do  ordain  and  command  ihe  said  Confession 
of  Fa^  1  to  be  subscribed  by  all  his  majesty's  subject-,  tJKDER  .\LL  Civil, 
P.iiss.  ' — [Mark!  fire  and  sword  are  not  excepted;] — "  and  ordain  Ihe  sai^en 
[same]  to  be  pi esented  and  publicly  lead, and  sworn  to  by  the  whole  members 
ot  parliament,  otherwise  the  »aiiie  shall  have  no  place  nor  voire  therein;  and, 
sichlike  ordain  all  judges,  magistrates,  and  ministers,  at  their  eiilry  to  swear 
and  subscribe  lo  the  samen  covenant."  "And  do  ordain  that  all  papist*,  and 
papal  priests,  shall  be  punished  wilh  manifold  civil  and  ecclesiastical  pains,  a« 
adversaries  of  tiod's  true  religi  »n  by  law  njw  estaldished  in  thi-  realm."* 
(See  note  3  x.)  "Therefore  w<  do  interpose,  and  add  the  authority  of  par- 
liament to  the  said  art  of  the  general  Assembly,  and  ordain  the  same  to  hare 
the  force  and  strength  of  a  law.'  f    (See  the  Art.) 

Whereur.lj,  then,  shall  we  liken  the  Ref  clergy,  in  reference  to  their  two- 
fold will,  and  with  what  comparison  shall  we  compare  them?  May  they  not 
justly  be  compared  to  the  Emperor  Charles  V.  who,  having  taken  the  pope 
prisoner,  did  thenceforth,  in  accordance  with  hit  popular  will,  give  orders  tor 
a  general  mourning,  and  for  prayers  to  be  ofTeierl  up  ihroughout  his  empire 
for  the  pope  s  deliverance;  but.  at  the  same  lime  in  accordance  with  his  real 
will,  held  liini  fast  and  would  not  let  him  go?  May  thei  not  b«  compared  to 
>  man,  who.  from  his  popular  will  beholds  himself  in  the  glass  of  Ihe  gospel, 
but  who  from  his  REAL  will  goes  away  and  straightway  Jorgets  what  manner 
of  person  lie  is?  Nay,  may  they  iiol  justly  be  compared  to  many  other  things, 
if  possible,  more  disparaging? 

A  poor  woman  was  brought  before  the  celebrated  papal  bishop — Bonner— 
to  answer  to  the  charge  of  heresy — who  vehemently  insisted,  in  the  rourte  of 
her  examination,  that  the  Bible  was  the  safest  guide  to  heaven,  and  that  the 
baliered  her  bible;  and  concerning;  which  we  are  told,  that  Bonner  only  re- 

•  Done  In  A.  D.  1640.  t  Done  In  A.  D.  1649. 


27 


3U 


Assumption  of  the  Principle,  etc.      [E.  Art.  4. 


.  30ih.  That,  in  A.  D.  1650,  in  the  General  Court  or  Council 
"of  New  England  the  Reformed  clergy  caused  it  to  be  decreed, 

plied,  that  if  she  would  briieve  do  more  than  what  wat  in  the  Scripture;  she 
was  a  damnable  heretic;  and  forthwith  proceeded  to  pronounce  sentence  of 
death  at  the  stake  against  her!    (See  Wood's  Mart\r«.) 

And,  in  a  word,  ahhoujjh  the  Cath.  clers;y,  with  the  higrb  hand  of  the  power 
of  darkness,  enacted  oppressive  laws,  and  enforced  them  on  their  trembling 
slaves,  b^  fire,  fa^gol  and  sword,  at  their  own  ghostly  pleasure,  vet  there  wai 
one  thing  they  never  dtd,  namely,  they  never  mocked  and  insulted  their  vic- 
tims over  whose  con^ciences  they  ty  rannized, — by  blowing  con'inually  in  their 
ears,  that  God  alone  was  the  Lurd  of  the  conscience — and  that  the  ri<;hl  of 
private  or  individual  jndgment,  in  things  pertaining  to  salvation,  ought  to 
remain  forever  inviolate;  or,  what  is  the  same  thing,  they  never  insulted  to 
stultification  their  trembling  dupes,  slaves,  or  victims,  by  crying  aloud  and 
sparing  not  human  inventiiin<,  traditions,  and  commandments  of  men  on  the 
one  hand,  nor  by  hfting  up  their  voice  like  a  trumpel  in  fnvor  of  the  Word,  at 
the  only  and  all  suti'icif  nt  guide  to  heaven  for  ail  men  on  the  other.  For, 
however  the  two-fold  will  may  have  prevailed  in  the  Cath.  clergy,  yet,  it  wa» 
reserved  for  their  brethren,  the  Ref  clerg\ ,  to  ultimate  it,  and  carry  it  out  to 
tlie  utmost  exireniiiy,  as  is  witnessed  abundantlv  ahiive. 

The  Caih.  clergy  plared  their  reductions  of  the  Word,  which  they  faUely 
called  Scripture  consequences,  in  the  hands  of  the  people,  instead  of  the  Word 
itself;  and  he  who  opposed  their  reductions,  they  branded  at  once  as  an  ob- 
stinate heretic;  and,  delivering  him  ovei  to  the  civil  aim,  (as  if  to  avoid  the 
druilgery  of  the  execution  which  themselves  were  too  tender  and  delicate  to 
perform)  they,  from  their  ;)o/)(iinr  will .  prayed  tlie  executioners  of  their  victim 
to  do  him  no  harm,  but  whom,  from  their  real  will,  they  had  deiirered  to  cer- 
tain ami  inevitable  death!    [.See  Ulickst.jne,  v.  4,  p.  45  ] 

But.  the  Ref.  rlerg\  placed  their  reduction*  or  consequences  of  the  Word, 
in  tne  shape  of  the  Comession  of  Faith,  as  in  one  hand  of  the  ()eople,  and  the 
Word  itself  in  he  other  hand;  and  him  thai  would  or  could  not  bring  his 
tinderstanding  of  the  Word,  under  obedience  to  the  faith,  [ronfes-ion  of 
Caith] — him  that  would  or  could  not  bring  the  Wi.rd  of  the  Lord  into  obe- 
dience and  subjection  to  the  taith  or  word  of  the  clergy — or.  what  is  still  the 
same,  him  that  could  do  no  other  than  make  the  Lord  and  his  wi>rd  paramount 
to  the  clergy  and  their  word,  they  liranded  as  a  heretic,  and  delivered  over  to 
the  senilai-  arin  to  be  put  to  death,  after  the  manner  practised  by  their  Cath. 
brethren  for  ages  before:— but  still,  a-  before  suggested,  with  this  difference, 
that  the  Ref.  clergy  kept  up  a  continual  blowing  in  the  ears  of  the  people, 
(victims  or  deluded  followers,)  that  -  God  aloni  is  the  Lord  of  the  conscience,* 
that  '  private  judgment  must  uot  be  violated,'  -that  '  the  Word  is  the  guide 
to  heaven' — that  '  the  inventions  of  men  are  of  no  force  in  the  church,'  etc. 

]5ut.  in  'he  g«-neral  as  it  regards  two  wilU  -one  popular  ai.d  another  re:.! — 
it  should  be  known,  that  they  never  can  exist  with  any  nian  but  from  a  desire 
(0  blind,  as  with  dust,  the  eyes  of  his  fellows,  so  as  to  disable  them  from  nar- 
rowly inspecting  the  speech,  actions  and  operations,  flovting  from  his  real  will. 
To  illustrate  which,  take  for  example,  a  portion  of  the  dust  blowed  from  th« 
popular  will  of  the  Ref.  clergy  as  follows:  "The  grtM  question  between  the 
witnesses  of  Christ  [meaning  themselves]  and  Antichrist,  [meaning  all  those 
who  opposed  them]  was.  «  hether  the  Word  of  God  or  the  tiaditiona  and  rom- 
niandinents  of  men  are  the  rule  of  faith  and  practice."  [See  above  art.  Sec] 
For,  he  whose  e\ei  are  not  hereby  blinded,  may  very  easiU  see  from  the  thingi 
■dduced  in  the  articles  ju«t  above,  re-per.ting  the  real  will  of  the  Ref.  clergy, 
that  the  treat  question  between  the  Calvinist*.  and  F.piscopalians  or  Catholici, 
wat  bv  no  mean-  whether  the  Word  of  God  or  the  commandments  ol  men  ii 
the  rule  of  faith  and  life,  but,  instead  of  which,  that  the  great  question  really 
wa>,  whether  the  Calvinistic,  Kpiscopic  or  Catholic  comiuaudmeuls  should  ha»e 
the  pre-eminence.  lod  be  the  most  reverendly  obeyed;  and  iheoce,  whether 


Chap.  III.]    Method  of  throwing  dust  in  the  eyes.  316 


that,  if  any  ship-master  should  bring  a  Quaker  within  their 
jurisdiction,  [within  the  colony]  he  should  be  fined  one  hundred 

the  C'Blviiiistic,  Episcopal,  or  Catholic  <-lt;rg;\  should  obtain  the  pre-eitiiiieiice, 
and  (he  most  prutound  reverence,  and  wurldly  glory. 

Take  one  mure  example  I'roiu  the  (lopulai-  will  thus:  "The  precepts  of  men 
make  no  part  of  the  rule,  and  therelore  are  not  to  he  added  lo  thi  W ord."  This, 
frocn  ihe  exposition  given  above,  is  evidently  none  other  than  as  another  porlioa 
of  du-t  thrown  into  the  eves  of  the  church,  to  pre-cut  her  from  prying  too 
ciiriiiusly  into  the  real  will  of  the  Rel'.  (  Icrgv  speaking  thii'<:  *'  Reductions  of  the 
Word  [plain  and  nece-saiy  scripture  consequences]  are  to  be  admitted  as  a  part 
cf  the  rule,  as  well  as  e\[>i'ess  scripture and  thence,  to  the  farther  end,  that 
all  others  might  he  deterred  fi  oni  framing,  or  attempting  to  frame,  either  doc- 
trine or  dii<ci|>liiie  for  the  church  ;  so  thai,  thai  glorious  work  might  be  all  theif 
0>vn,  and,  uliiniatel\,  so  that  by  means  ofthtir  law« — liowing  from  their  owa 
reduclioiis  of  the  Word— -they  might  reign  and  rule  over  the  Lord's  heritage 
linriVHiled  and  unconlri>lle(l !  W  tierefore,  also,  beside*  the  fraud  and  cunning 
of  the  Rel.  clergy,  mauife.-'ted  in  the  use  of  their  two-fold  will — in  ihe  example* 
here  adduced — it  then"e  bt  comes  fui  ther  evident,  that  such  will  cannot  exist  ia 
man,  until  he  becomes  actuated  by  tlie  love  of  self  and  lust  of  domination  thence, 
whether  over  earth  or  heaven,  or  bilh,  and,  therelore  also,  that  the  ground 
and  source  of  such  will  is  none  other  than  the  lust  of  dominion. 

Having  thus  brought  i  >  light  and  exnosed  the  two  fol  I  will  of  the  Ref. 
clercy,  as  refenible  to  tt'eir  arrogant  pretensions  in  enacting  laws,  rule^,  or 
doctniiiiU,  of  faith  and  onler  for  thecniirch,  and  thence  of  enlorcing  them  by 
the  secul,ir  arm,  it  cannot  fail  to  be  interesting  to  the  reader,  to  be  presented 
with  a  short  specimen  of  the  necessary  operation  ufsnch  will, — in  educing  the 
principal  features  of  the  doctrinal  head  of  their  system.  [See  note  4  a  at  the 
end.]    And — 

First,  in  relation  to  the  doctrine  of  the  Trinity.  The  clergy,  whether 
Caiholic  or  Reformed,  from  the  popular  will  ostensibl\  pro>:laim,  that  there  is 
but  one  only  living  and  tiue  God.  liut  from  their  real  will  they  teach,  that 
there  are  three  person-  each  of  whom  is  very  and  eternal  God — "  each  of  whom 
is  a  complete  intelligence,  and  individual  subsisteiicy — which  is  neither  a  part 
of  no."  sustained  by  Ihe  other: — but  is  di«tinguished  by  an  incommunicable 
property,  [As.  Cat.  pait  1,  p.  51.  .^2,  53J — that  it  is  unlawful  to  explain  the 
Trinity  by  natural  similitudes. — nothing  having  the  remotest  resemblan  e  to 
it — it  heing  altogether  a  matter  of  faith!  fibid  p.  57]  and  that  "  the  second 
couimaiidment  lorbids  the  representing  of  God  or  the  Trinity  in  our  niiods," 
[L.  C.Q.  106,  IIU] 

But,  conceining  which,  it  is  given  to  eay,  that  there  is  no  man  whose 
will  and  un  lerslandiiig  thence  [i.  e.  the  eye  of  whose  mind]  is  perfectly 
•  ingle,  in  toe  genuine  sense,  and  whose  faith  is  within  the  verge  of  his 
understanding,  that  has  power  either  to  see  or  to  believe,  much  less  to 
teach  things  in  this  double  manner. 

What  should  we  say  of  a  man  who  asserts,  that  he  sees  before  him  one 
man.  and  but  one  only,  and  at  the  same  time,  that  he  sees  three  persons 
before  him,  each  of  whom  is  a  man?  Sliould  we  not  at  least  say,  that  his 
mind  wat  double,  and  therefore  disordered?  Many  more  things  might 
here  be  added,  but  brevity  lorbids. 

Secondx.v,  in  relation  lo  the  doctrine  of  the  two-fold  will  of  the  Lord, 
the  Reformed  clergy  affirm,  that  the  Lord  is  of  one  mind  and  none  turn  him ; — 
that  he  is  without  variableness  or  shadow  of  turning.  But  in  accordance  with 
their  real  will,  they  insist,  that  "  God  is  of  a  two-fold  will;  namely,  a  will  of 
purpose  or  secret  will,  at  eihibiied  in  the  execution  of  his  decrees  by  his  pror- 
idence;'"  [answering  lo  their  own  real  will ;]  "andawill  of  precept  or  reveaUd 
will,a»  exhibited  in  Ihe  Word,"  [answering  to  their  own  popular  will  1  See 
A«.  Cat.  part  2,  p.  181. 

But,  conccroingp  which,  let  it  be  obicrved,  that  the  Reformed  rlcrg/,  in  tbiu 


Creation  of  Hell— for  whom?        [E.  Art.  4. 


pounds; — and,  that,  in  the  following  year,  they  caused  this 
statute  to  be  amended  by  further  enacting,  thai  the  tongues  of 


•ttributing  to  tbe  Lord  two  wills,  make  him  aIto°;ether  such  an  one  as  them- 
selves; and  therefore,  in  representing  him  mii-represeni  hiui,  and  only  l  epre- 
fenl  and  show  forth  theniselvet.  W  herefore,  in  the  articles  which  here  foil  iw. 
tbe  two-fold  will  of  theclerey  must  needs  be  adequately  exhibited  by  showing- 
how  they  represent  tbe  Lord  in  relation  to  the  two-fold  will  which  they  have 
attributed  to  him.    Whence — 

Thirdly,  in  relation  lo  the  doctrine  of  predestination  or  reprobation  they 
represent  the  Lord,  as  from  his  revealed  will  and  pleasure  thence  invilin<c  all 
the  ends  of  the  earth  to  "  look  to  him  and  be  saved  ;"  and  proclaimin";,  "  As  I 
live,  I  have  no  pleasure  in  the  death  of  bim  that  dietb."  But,  from  his  secret 
will  and  pleasure  thence, 

•'  Decreeing  millions  to  eternal  death, 
E're  man  waB  formed,  or  first  received  his  breath; — 
•nd  creating  a  lake  of  eternal  death  and  hell,  into  which  to  plunge  millions  of 
•oul»  which  he  Intended  afterwards  to  create!! 

f  oURTHLY:  in  relation  to  the  doctrine  of  the  foreordination  of  sin,  ihey 
represent  the  Lord,  as  from  his  revealed  will  expostnlating  with  the  sons  of 
Itrael,  saving,  "Ye  have  built  the  hi^h  places  of  Tophet  in  the  valley  of  the 
ion  of  Hinnon,  to  cause  your  sons  and  daughter*  to  pass  through  li  e  fire, 
which  thing  I  never  commanded  you,  neither  came  it  into  my  mind.  But, 
from  his  secret  will  and  pleasure  thence,  as  decreeing  that  they  slioul  !  '  >  that 
^er>  thing!  JNay,  from  his  revealed  will,  as  being  unable  to  look  at  n.  but 
with  abhorrence  and  detestation  ;  but  from  his  sec  et  vvill  and  pleasure,  d-  tree- 
ing all  manner  of  sin  and  wickedness,  that  ever  came,  or  shall  hereufin  oome 
to  pass! 

Fifthly:  in  relation  to  the  doctrine  of  the  executioa  of  God's  decrees  br 
his  Providence,  they  represent  the  Lord,  as  from  his  revea'ed  will,  command- 
ing Adam  not  to  eat  of  the  tree  of  knowledge  on  pain  of  dtath.  But,  from 
his  secret  will  and  pleasure,  as  bounding  and  hedging  up,  by  his  Providence, 
every  way  that  Adam  might  possil)ly  take,  so  as  to  Uave  no  way  open  but  tbe 
way  of  eating  of  the  fruit  of  that  very  tree!  And,  as  being  of  t'.;e  secret 
will  of  the  Lord,  that  his  "  Providence  should  not  only  eflicacionsly  concur 
in  producing  the  action  as  t)  the  matter  of  it,  but  also  predetermine  the 
tinner  to  such  or  such  action,  and  no'  to  another — shutting  up  all  other 
ways  of  acting,  and  leaving  that  only  open  which  he  had  decreed  should 
be  done."  Nay,  that  himself  should  "' previously .  prestntly  and  eiiiciT'ouslT 
concur  to  the  substance,  mailer,  or  entity  of  the  action!"  [good  or  evil.] 
See  As.  Cat.  part  1,  p.  60  to  77. 

Sixthly:  in  relation  to  the  doctrine  of  imputed  righteousness,  they  repre- 
■ent  the  Lord,  as  from  his  revealed  will,  by  the  way  of  Paul,  d.-claring  that 
Abraham'"  faith  was  counted  or  imputed  to  him  for  righti-ousnesa  Bul.lroin 
his  secret  will,  by  the  way  of  themselves,  as  declaring,  that  Abraham's  fiith 
was  bv  no  means  counted  or  imputed  to  him  for  righteousness;  and  that 
nothing  short  of  Christ's  righteousness  was  ever  counted  or  imputed  lo  any 
nan  for  righteousness! 

Seventhly:  in  relation  to  imputed  sin,  they  represent  the  Lord,  as  from 
hia  revealed  will,  by  way  of  Eiekiel,  declaring,  that  the  sour  grapes  « hich 
the  fathers  hiive  eateti  shall  not  be  counted  or  imputed  to  the  children  so  as  to 
set  their  teeth  on  edge, — and,  in  a  word,  that  the  siii  of  the  father  shall  not 
be  counted  or  imputed  to  the  Son;  bui  that  the  soul  that  tins  it  shall  die. 
But,  from  hit  secret  will,  by  way  of  theni<elret,  ra  declaring  that  the  sour 
fruit  which  Adam  plucked  from  the  forbidden  tree  should  set  the  teeth  of  all 
hit  posterity  on  edge  to  the  ten  thousandth  generation;  or,  what  is  the  iBin* 
thing,  that  the  tin  which  Adam  wan  forced  t.  cemmit  by  the  hedgings  in  of 
the  Lord's  providence— backed  by  an  eternal  decree — thould  be  imputed  to 
•11  bit  posterity  tbrouf^hout  eternity ! 


Chap.  III.]  Providence  backed  by  an  Efernal  Decree.  317 


Quakers  should  be  bored,  and  their  ears  cropped,  and,  in  case 
of  obstinacy,  that  they  should  be  banished  or  put  to  death.  (See 
Hist.  U.  Stales.) 

CGHTHLY:  in  relation  to  the  doclriiie  of  vicarious  satisfaction,  they  i^pre- 
serit  Ihe  Lnrd,  a'*  from  his  revealed  will,  0\  the  way  of  his  evannelisis  and 
piophttj,  declaring,  that  "  Go<!  so  loved  the  world,  tlnil  he  gave  liis  only  be- 
gotten Si)n,  that  whosoever  believes  on  him  might  not  pei  ish  but  have  ever- 
^a^ling  life;" — lhat  the  Lord  does  not  require  sacrifice  at  the  hands  of  man  to 
satisfy  or  plea»c  him,  but  only  to  obey  his  voice — to  do  justice  and  love 
Dierc\ — to  cea>e  to  do  evil  and  learn  t  i  do  well,"  But,  from  his  secret  vvill, 
by  the  way  of  themselves,  as  muttering  that  God,  being  filled  with  wriilh 
again>t  the  world,  decreed  to  send  Ihe  greater  portion  thereof  to  helU— their 
prayers,  groans,  and  tear?,  to  the  contrary  notwithstanding:  and  that, in  legard 
to  the  rest,  he  decreed  that  not hing stiort  of  the  lull  penalty  incni  red  by  Aoani 
for  eating  of  the  forbidden  tree  [see  the  last,]  involving  eternal  torments  in  the 
fire  (,l  hell,  paid  oli' to  the  la.-t  mite — would  satisfy  him;  but,  that  the  Lord 
himselt  undertook  to  pay  the  penalty!  and  actually  did  pay  it! — to  the  utter- 
ino>t  farthing,  in  the  room  and  stead  of  those  already  decreed  to  the  hei;  -  of 
heaven ;  and  thus  vjcariousli  satisfied  and  appeased  the  fierce  wrath,  tlie  fiery- 
indignation,  and  the  vindictive  ju-tice  of  God  ;  anil  ihence  also  opened  the  way 
for  llie  honorable  egress  of  his  mercy ,  which  otherwise  could  never  have  reached 
even  the  elect  themselves!  [See  Con.F.  and  As. Cat.  pt.  Lp-37,  &  pt.2,  p  190.] 

Ninthly:  m  relation  to  the  doctrine  of  ihe  covenant  of  works  and  the 
covenant  of  grace  they  represent  the  Lord,  as  frou)  his  revealed  will,  by  tlie 
way  of  the  prophets,  dtclai  ing  that  tlie  covennnt  of  his  peace  is  a  coic.nant  of 
peace  made  with  man  that  slinuld  never  end;  that  it  should  be  an  everla  t^ng 
covenant;  [I'a.  34:  10;  and  Eze.  37:  16;]  that  he  himself  is  that  everlasting 
covenant;  flsa.55:  3;)  that  he  wiisgiven  to  be  "acovenant  of  the  people,  for 
a  light  to  the  gentiles;  to  open  the  blind  eyes,  to  bring  out  the  prisoners  from 
prison,  and  tliem  that  sit  in  dai  kness  from  llie  prison  house  ;  [Isa.  42:  6,  7]  tliat 
he  will  show  tiis  covenant  to  all  them  tliat  fear  him ;  [Ps.  25 :  14;]  and  tliat, 
that  man  shall  be  blessed  who  lays  bold  on  it.  [Isa.  56:  2]  Nay ,  farther,  that 
the  covenant  of  peace,  of  blessii,<;s,  and  good  will  to  all  nu  n.  whereby  I  hey  mav 
become  conjoined  to  the  Lord  himself,  isol  two  grand  heads,  branches,  or  con'- 
ditions,  namely,  first,  that  men  should  hear  and  Ihence  know,  that  tlie  Lord 
their  God,  was  ONE  Loid,  and  that  they  should  love  him  with  all  their  heart, 
soul,  strength,  and  mind  ;"and,  second,'that  they  should  love  their  neiglil)or  as 
themselves;"  and.  finally,  that  from  these  two  grand  branches  of  the  eierlast  no- 
covenant  hang,  or  grow,  all  the  precepts  of  the  moral  law,  concerning  workf, 
duties,  or  o-es,  enjoined  by  Moses  and  the  prophets  throughout  the  Word— 
throughout  the  everlasting  covenant  itself,  iiuf,  from  his  secret  will,  by  the 
way  ot  them-elves,  as  muttering,  that  the  Lord  did  constitute  and  make  his 
everlasting  covenant  of  peace— of  bles-ings  to  the  world— his  lestimon \  — his 
word- Ids  moral  law  (all  ot  which  they  arc  forced  to  iick i.owleilge  are  the  same 
thing,  according  to  his  revealed  will,)  to  be  of  a  two-fuld  face— the  first,  to  be 
called  thecovenantof  works,  and  thesecond  the  rule  of  life;  and  that  all  the 
world  of  mankind— except  the  elect  after  justification— are  under  the  first 
lace,  that  IS,  are  under  the  moral  law  (the  everlasting  coy tnant— Mo-es  and  the 
pro|)hets— the  Word)  as  acove.iantof  works,— and  which,  so  far  trotii  bein"  a 
covenant  of  peace  and  blessings  to  the  world,  is  none  other  than  a  covenant' of 
cuisings  01  the  niost  deadly  cr aracter-cursing  and  condemning  all,  without 
mercy  or  distinction,  to  the  pains  of  hell  forever!  Also,  that  the  elect  alone, 
after  justification,  are  under  the  second  face,  that  is,  are  under  the  moral  law- 
ns a  rule  of  life,  and  that,  because  they  are  under  this  face,  they,  happy  souls' 
are  thence  freed  from  all  the  precepts  of  (he  moral  law,-thns  from  all  con- 
tained in  the  code  of  heaven,  [not  even  excepting  the  injunction  to  repent  and 
belK-ye  he  gospel,]  by  means  of  Christ's  having  fulfifled  them  all.  to  a  iot 
•Dd  tmie,  ,n  their  room  and  stead.  ]Vev»rthele,i.-not  that  the  elect  a.-e 
27* 


318 


Reformed  Impotence. 


[E.  Art.  4. 


31st.  That,  in  the  same  year,  (see  the  last)  the  Episcopalians 
(the  disciples  of  ( "ranmer)  of  Virginia  were  persecuting  the 


under  the  moral  law,  as  a  rule  of  life,  to  as  thence  to  think  of  doinj;  the  pre* 
ceptj  of  life  therein  contained. — not  that  thev  are  thence  to  keep  the  com- 
mand-nents  of  God,— that  God  may  bei  onie  their  tjod — not  that  they  are 
even  to  think  of  rendering  obedience  to  the  precepts  of  the  gospel,  in  order 
that  thence  they  M)i<;hl  become  savingly  interested  in  God,  as  their  God,  (see 
As.  Cat.  part  I.  p.  24,  25;)—  but,  only,  that  they  may  conti  iiiplate  their  ov»n 
inability  to  do  them,  and  the  many  h  onderiul  things  thai  Cliri^t  has  performed 
for  them  in  their  roocu  and  stead — or,  at  niojt,  that  they  may  BSSAY  obediei.ce 
to  the  moial  law,  as  a  rule,  because  Christ  has  fulfilled  it  as  a  covenant  of 
works  in  their  ^tead  ;  and  that  this  is  keejiing  the  connnandmeDts  of  God!! 
(.\s.  Cat.  part  II.  p  71.)  Kay,  farther,— and  wliat  is  wonderful  is, — that  the 
Lord  has  given  to  the  elect,  thai,  as  soon  as  justified,  they  should  be  under 
another  covenant,  a)ade  in  eternity.  Cdlled  the  covenant  of  grace,  and  which 
(accoruing  to  the  secret)  is  utterly  devoid  of  every  thing  in  the  shape  of  con- 
dition, prohibition,  or  penalty,  (in  case  of  disol)eclience)  belonging  or  pertain- 
ing to  it;  and  this,  in  such  sort  that,  safely  ensconced  under  its  refuge,  the 
elect  have  no  more  cause  to  fear  the  thiindi  rings  of  the  precepts  of  the  Word, 
nor  the  awtul  threateiiings  therein  contained,  in  case  of  disobedience,  th«u  we 
of  America  have  cause  to  fear  the  bellowings  issuing  from  the  Vatican  at 
Rome!  JN' ay,  even  when  the  ihunderings  of  the  Word  are  shaking,  not  the 
earth  ahme,  but  aUo  the  heavens,  the  elect  may,  if  they  choose,  contemplate 
afre>h  what  Christ  has  done  in  their  room  and  stead,  and  then  fold  up  their 
hands,  and  lie  down  again  on  their  bed  (<loclrine)  and  slumber  on;  es|)erfalljr 
seeing  that,  as  they  are  (reed  from  the  piece|)ts  of  the  moral  law,  (ihr  V\  ord) 
they  are  therefore  freed  from  it,  so  as  to  be  neither  jnslified  nor  coiulemneil  by 
it;  il^  use  only  being  to  show  them  how  iiiuch  they  are  bound  to  Christ  for 
fulfilling  it,  and  enduring  its  curse  in  their  room  and  stead!    (See  L.  C.  Q  97.) 

TkNTHI.Y:  ill  relation  to  the  doctrine  of  man's  impotence,  they  represent 
the  Lord,  as  from  his  revealed  Aill,  declaring,  "  Bel  tild  1  stand  at  the  door 
and  knock,  if  any  man  hear  my  voice  and  open  the  door,  i  will  come  in  and  sup 
with  him,  and  he  with  me;"  (Rev.) — as  inviting  all  to  -'come  unto  him  and 
to  take  his  yoke  upon  them,  and  to  learn  of  hiiii;"  and  as  enjoining  it  upon 
L<ratl  to  •''make  to  themselves  a  new  heart  ami  a  new  spirit;  and,  to  repent 
and  return  from  their  evil  way,  -o  that  iniquity  might  not  be  their  ruin." 
(Kze.  18.)  but.fiom  his  secret' will.— by  the  n  ay  of  Ihemseh  ea,  as  declaring, 
in  eternity,  and  thence  (by  the  hedgiiig>'in  of  his  providence  in  the  execulioo 
of  his  decrees)  to  bring  it  to  pass,  that  men  should  be  as  unable  to  turn  tliem- 
gehes  or  to  art,  re-act,  opeiate  or  co-operate  in  the  woik  of  turning  them- 
selves towards  the  I.omI,  a-  iiewl\  born  infant* — as  was  Lazarus  in  the  grave, 
or  as  v\as  Lot's  wi.'e  afier  she  became  rhangeil  into  a  pillar  o'  sail;  and.  in  a 
word,  that  men  can  do  no  other  than  break  the  commandments  of  God  daily, 
in  thought,  word,  and  <leed.    (See  L.       Q.  149  ) 

El.KVENTllLV :  in  relation  to  the  doctrine  of  effectual  calling,  they  repre- 
sent the  Lord,  as  from  his  revealed  will,  iifl'eriiig  his  gospel  to  all  without  ex- 
cepiion,  and  as  declaring,  that  all  art  w<  Icoiue  to  parlake;  (As.  Cat.  part  I. 
p  127)  and  thai  all  are  to  be  lold,  that  -alvatioii  is  lor  them  snd  that  they 
l)ia>  lay  hold  of  it.  (Tesl,  p.  90  )  but,  from  his  secret  will,  as  muttering,  that 
«'  An  unlimited  oiler  is  made  to  all,  not  becaii«e  Christ  "ied  lor  all,  hut  because 
thi-  comiiiis.ion  is  to  preach  the  gospel  to  every  crealore!  (ibid)  and  thai  the 
Holv  Spirit  eflictually  calls.  b\  hedging  up  every  way  of  the  elect  except  the 
way'of  taith  in  roi-m  and  stead  of  i  iglileousness.  and  the  way  of  sin,  and  this  to 
such  degree,  that  lhe\  are  pei^uaded  l.>  bi  lieve  in  the  one,  and  thence  to 
keep  the  under-landing  under,  and  to  x  ield  theniBelves  willing  instriinient>  to 
the  other,  and  thence  to  sin  flailv  in  th.mghl,  word,  and  deed,  to  the  end  of 
their  lives.  (See  Calechisnig.)  But.  in  regard  to  the  reprobate  that  l'ro»i- 
dence,  in  order  to  execute  the  decrees  of  God,  hedges  in  and  shuts  up  erery 


Chap.  III.] 


Reformed  Insanities. 


.3i9 


reformed  sons  of  Calvin,  [the  Puritans;]  and  these,  in  Massa- 
chusetts, were  persecuting,  and  even  pulling  to  death  Episcopa- 


way  that  they  might  possibly  take  to  come  to  Christ;  and  leaves  no  way 
open  to  them  but  the  way  of  sin  at  first  decreed,  and  thus  renders  liiat 
call,  which  otherwise  might  be  effectual  to  tlieui  aUo,  only  a  common  call, 
»nd  by  which  they  never  can  come  to  Clirist  Nay,  farther,  tliai  the 
blessings  given  to  the  reproljates  are  only  given  to  them  of  the  Lord,  as 
Dieat  and  drink  are  given  to  criminals  till  the  time  of  their  execution! 
(Test,  p.  87)  and  that  those  whom  Uod  by  his  Providence  thus  leaves  to 
perish  are  thereby  not  injured!    (Test,  p.  75.) 

TwEi.FTHl.V:  in  relatioil  to  the  doctrine  of  justification  for  sin  lit  be 
coniinitled,  they  re|)resent  the  Lord,  as  troni  his  revealed  will,  proclaiming, 
that  "when  a  righteous  man  turns  from  his  righteousness  and  couimitlelli  in- 
iquity an<)  dieth  in  it,  for  his  iniquity  thai  he  haih  done  he  shall  surely  die." 
(lize.  13:  26.)  But,  from  his  secret  will,  as  whispering,  that  «  hen  the  elect 
are  justified,  they  are  thence  pardoned  for  all  sins  past,  present,  and  to  be 
commitled, — though  against  law  and  gospel,  judgment  and  mercies,  and 
though  as  many  as  there  are  slars  in  the  firmanent  ol  heaven!    (Golden  K;  3.) 

Thirteknthly  :  in  relation  to  the  doctrine  of  non-repentance,  they 
represent  the  Lord,  as  from  his  revealed  will  throuKhont  the  Word,  enjoin- 
ing it  upon  all  to  repent,  and  as  declaring  throughout,  that  unless  men 
repent  they  shall  perish  But,  from  his  secret  will,  by  the  way  of  tliem- 
gelves,  as  muttering,  that,  as  it  regards  "  the  reprobate,  no  lepentance  is  pro- 
Tided  for  them,  and,  as  to  the  elect,  they  are  not  to  >et  about  s|:innuig  a 
repentance  out  of  their  own  bowels,  instead  of  coming  to  Christ,  by  faith,  to 
receive  it  as  a  gift;"  (As.  Cat.  part  IL  p.  191) — thiit  "to  make  faith,  repent- 
ance, and  good  worLs,  the  cause  of  our  escaping  the  wrath  and  curse  of  God 
due  to  us  for  sin,  would  be  to  set  aside  the  satisfaction  of  Christ,  and  make  a 
Saviour  of  our  duties — than  which  nothing  could  more  effectually  nail  us 
down  under  the  curse;"  (As.  Cat.  part  IL  p.  175;)  and  that  it  is  not  the  i>rder 
of  I  he  covenant  of  grace,  that  duty  should  go  before  pri  i  ilege !    (lb.,  v.l,  p.  163.) 

Having  now  exhibited  an  abundant  specimen  of  the  two-fold  will  of  the 
Reformed  clergy,  as  referred  to  the  principal  features,  or  articles  of  the  doc- 
trinal head  of  the  system  which  ihey  have  built  up  and  established — principally 
by  means  of  their  own  representations  of  the  Lord,  whom,  in  relation  to  the 
same  subject,  they  have  made  and  constitutei'  altogether  such  an  one  as  them- 
selves, (-ee  above  art.  secondly,}  it  yet  remains,  that  we  briellv  exhibit  the 
modus  operandi  of  the  Reformed  clerg\.  in  arriving  at  that  secret  will,  which, 
io  their  tender  mercies,  lhe\  have  cruelly  attributed  to  the  Lord. 

But,  to  this  end,  we  must  first  exhibit  (heir  method  of  arriving  at  the  secret 
speech  (lowing  from  such  will; — seeing  will  itself,  cannot  be  arrived  ai  but 
by  means  of  something  (hence  flowing.  Wherefore,  keeping  this  view,  it  is 
only  necessary  to  remember,  that  the  Reformed  clergy,  at  the  first,  in>tead  of 
going  forward  immediately  to  the  Word,  and  drawing  all  their  docliinal 
tenets  thence,  turned  back  to  the  abyss  of  the  first  six  general  councils  of  the 
Catholic  church,  and  drew  up  all  their  dogmas  thence,  and,  [in  the  languao-e 
of  Gibbon,  v.  4.]  '-with  the  Alhanasian  creed,  pronounced  eternal  dami!alion 
on  all  who  denied  the  Catholic  faith;" — and,  that,  with  these,  they  also 
adopted  as  a  prirnarv  dogma,  that  the  understanding,  [i.  e.  the  understanding 
of  the  Word]  must  be  kept  under  obedience  to  the  faith,  [i.  e.  the  doctrinals 
or  <logmas  of  faith  ]  For,  such  being  the  case,  it  inei  itably  resulted,  that,  in- 
stead of  bringing  their  orlh(Hloxy,  fai'.h,  or  dogmas  of  faith — drawn  from  the 
abyss  or  sink  of  Papal  corriiplion— [previousli  drawn  from  ihe  abyss  ol  heaiheii 
polytheism  and  fatalism,  whether  from  Greeks,  Vandals,  Huns,  Mahometans, 
Turks,  Arabs,  or  from  the  vulg.ir  generally — See  Buck  on  Decrees] — to  the 
Word,  thus  to  the  light,  to  th«  end,  that,  when  found  wanting,  they  inio-ht  be 
eondeiiMied,  and  banished  back  to  the  abyss  of  hell,  whf  nee  they  originally" 
iprung, — they,  alas!  brought  the  Word  of  the  Lord  to  the  Procrustean  bed- 


320       Tvrning  back  to  the  first  General  Councils.  [E.Art.4 


lians,  Baptists,  and  Quakers; — but  especially  the  latter,  while 
the  Catholics  in  Maryland, — lo  cheir  eternal  honor,  were  tolera- 

stead  of  the  preconceived  dogmas  of  their  taith.  and,  laving  it  thereon,  thejr 
REDUCED  the  heavenly  truths  therein  rontained,  Dy  rutting  them  off,  or 
stretching;  them  oiil,  until  they  re^<p<lnded,  ii:  length,  breadth,  and  heighl,  to 
the  ungodli  u)ea>ure  wherewiih  they  nitled  ibeni.  Thiit  such  is  the  case,  ij 
evident  (ri)iii  their  own  te>tiinony  where  they  say,  " —  mi  this  book  Liiitaiiing; 
Iheir  Ciin(es>ion  of  Failh]  all  ihe  passages  [l  i  uth-]  of  tl.e  Word  are  RtDUCED 
to  their  proper  heads;"  [See  note  4a] — and  where  they  testify,  that  "all 
thoi^e  pa,Siige-  [trulhsj  of  the  Woiri,  which  -peak  of  Christ  as  havingdied  for 
all,  niusi  be  understood  in  a  Limited  -ense," — evidently  meaning  in  a  cut  off 
or  reduced  sense.    See  Tesliinoiiy,  p  87. 

But,  the  method  of  reducing  the  passages  of  the  Word  into  fit  materials  to 
be  incorporated  in  o,  and  thence  to  give  sanciion  and  weight  to  the  two  grand 
heads  of  doctrine  and  di-cipline — preconceived  from  llie  Catholic  abyss,  by 
the  hefornied  clergy,  for,  as  the  clergy  would  sa\ ,  of  reducing  the  pas.-agej 
of  the  W'ord  to  their  proper  heads)  may  be  seen  best  by  means  of  exaiiiple!i: 
whence  the  pas-age,  "  Behold  the  Lamb  of  (iod  that  bi^areth  the  sin  of  the 
world."  being  laid  onthe  iron  bedstead  of  doctrine,  il  was  soon  discovered  by 
the  Ket.  clelg^ ,  that  it  w  a-  by  lar  of  too  great  extent,  as  relerred  to  the  notch 
of  predestination;  and.  therefore  laying  hold  of  il.  they  may  he  justly  con- 
ceived of  as  hewing  it  down — cutting  il  ofl — reducing  and  limiting  it  to  that 
point, — exclaiming  Ihronghonl  the  opei  ation, "  I'he  understanding  of  the  Word 
niu>t  he  reduced, to  obedience  to  the  taith!  '  and,  in  a  word,  so  reducing  and 
limiting  il,  that,  instead  of  its  being  understood  as  proclaiming,  that  the  Lord 
did  indeed  bear  the  sin  of  the  whole  world,  il  should  only  be  renienilit  led  as 
whispering,  that  the  Lord  bore  the  sin  of  none  but  that  of  the  elect  alone! 
Again,  the  fiist  commandn  ent  being  laid  on  the  same  Ou  gish  bedstead,  ap- 
pears to  have  been  considered  too  -hort,  lo  be  of  any  n-e  in  either  head  [doc- 
trine or  discipline]  of  the  preconceived  system;  whence  we  lint'  that  the  Ref. 
cl<  igy  have  reduced  il, — \i)  stretching  it  out, — so  as  So  forbid,  not  only  the 
having  of  other  gods  before  the  Lord,  but  also  all  curious  prying  into  the 
secrets  of  (jod;  [i.  e  meaning  into  the  thing?,  of  hi-  secret  will  which  they 
have  establi-hed.]  and  consuliatio/'S  with  the  devil!  [See  L.  C.  Q.  105.]  la 
like  manner,  the  second  coiniiiandineiil  is  so  reduced,  a-  lo  forbirl  the  inward- 
ly representing  of  the  Trinity  in  oui  minds;  [L.  C,  Q.  106.  110] — and,  in  gen- 
eral terms,  in  like  niRnner  thronghoul  the  Word. 

But.  it  were  rational  to  suppose,  thai  to  avoid  the  reproach  of  the  people, 
Con-equmt  upon  thus  reducing  and  liniiliiig  the  Word,  wliether  by  Cutting  it 
off  or  stretching  it  out,  or  others  isc,  the  clergy  would  produce  their  strong 
reasons  lor  such  an  high-handed  measure; — wheielore,  let  us  now  hear  their 
strong  reasons!  And,  lo!  they  are  none  other,  in  the  essence,  llian,  that  trie 
speech  or  word  of  Clod  is  two-fold — the  one  levealed,  aj  in  the  Word  itself, 
and  the  other  secret  or  mysterious,  or,  what  is  virtually  the  same  ihiiig,  that 
the  mind  or  will  of  Ood  is  two-iold — the  one  reiealed,  as  in  the  Word  itself, 
end  the  other  secrtt  anil  m\-lerion-;  and  that  them-elies  and  they  alone  are 
the  stewards  of  the  MVSTKHll-S  of  the  Word!    [See  A.-.  Cat  part  2,  p.  129. 

But,  of  all  the  Iw  i-lings  of  the  clergy  ,  rt  corded  in  the  annals  of  the  churcb, 
this  appears  by  far  the  niosl  serpentine  They  seem  lo  liav<-  artfully  consid- 
ered, ihat,  could  the)  but  once  gel  it  establi>lied  in  the  minds  of  men.  that 
the  uUl  of  the  Lord,  as  well  as  hi-  gj'Ceck  or  word  thence  flowing  was  Iwo- 
lold.and.  that  lliemst  Ivts  alone  were  llie  la"  lul  stewards  to  take  charge  ol 
the  stcret  or  ni\sterious  speech  or  word, — they,  in  such  ca-e.  might  limn,  re- 
duce, cut  off,  and  extend  I  he  truth-  of  I  lie  Word  to  their  own  li<  arl's  content; 
and,  ul-n,  in  such  case,  that  they  niigul  bring  in  their  burdens,  of  reduclioni 
ol  the  Word,  from  Ihe  abjss,  tlnongli  the  two  gieal  gttewajs  of  Srriplurs 
r.on-'equenres  and  chri-tian  prudential-,  [thence  to  be  labelled  accordingly  >J 
into  the  church  every  Sabbath  day,  [Jer.  17.  24,] — whence  to  mould  auo 


Chap.  III.]     Clerical  Twistinga— Serpentine.  321 

ting  and  protecting  all.  (^k)  (See  Hisl.  U.  Stales  by  a  Citi- 
zen, p.  169.)  ^ 


fashion  after  the  imagination  of  the  thought  of  their  own  heart,  their  iivo 
grand  heads  of  doctrine  and  discipline — whence  to  rule  over  her  from  Bethel 
to  Dan.  [See  Note  4  a.]  Way,  farther,  in  .-urh  case,  should  any  man  nsu  up 
to  op|)ose  ilieiii,  by  alleilgiiig,  that  their  reductions  of  the  Word  were  Calscly 
labelled,  and,  that  they  were  plainly  in  opposition  to  the  Word  of  the  Lard  ai 
reveali  d  from  heaven — it  would  be  all-siirticient  to  stilily  assert  that  the  word 
orspeerh  of  (he  LortI  was  twofold —secret and  mysterious,  as  well  a-  revealed 
and  open  ;  nnd.  that  themselves  were  llie  stewards  of  the  secrets  and  sl«  es 
of  the  Word  of  the  Lord: — Nay,  abovo  all.  "liiat  the  understanding  of  the 
Word  niusi  be  kept  under  obedl-  nee  to  the  doctrines  of  faith." 

Wherefore  it  becomes  quite  evident,  that  the  secret  speech — flowinfj  fruin 
the  secret  will,  which  the  Ref  clergy  have  attributed  to  the  Lord,  is  neither 
more  nor  less  than  their  owr  reducti  ms  of  the  Word,  whither  by  limitdlions 
or  extensions — the  method  of  arriving  at  which  was  abundantly  exhibited 
above. 

Therefore,  seeing  that  the  secret  will,  and  speech  or  word,  thence  Mowing, 
which  the  clergy  have  attributed  to  the  Lord,  and  their  own  reductions  of  the 
Word,  flowing  from  llieirown  real  will,  are  one  and  the  same  tiling',,  it  fol- 
lows also,  thai  the  modus  operandi  of  the  Re  f.  clergy,  in  arriving  at  the  secret 
will  attributed  to  the  Lord,  has  been  abuidantly  exhibited. 

[4  fc]  If  tliat  which  is  stated  in  the  text  be  true,  [See  also  Art.  28  &  30,]  — 
and  that  it  is  no  man  has  ever  attempted  to  deny — then  it  is  evidently  liilse  to 
tay,  that,  in  the  laws  enacted  by  Protestants,  [so  tailed,]  there  is  iio.evtii  an 
insinudlion  or  a  wish  iiidicaied  to  persecute.  Would  modern  Prote-ianls  have 
tis  to  believe,  that  their  fathers  of  New  England  persecuted  and  putth  •  Quak- 
eis  to  death  under  Popish  laws!  Or,  would  they  really  have  us  tu  belinve, 
that  the  Popish  laws,  under  which  their  failiers  persecuied,  emanated  from  any 
Other  souice  than  from  the  imagination  of  the  thought  of  tlieir  ovvr  lieart? 
What  popish  laws,  for  insimce,  were  ever  established  in  ]\ew  Englmd,  uie- 
rioiisly  to  its  being  settled  by  proiessed  Protestants  ?  That  such  Ian,  were 
not  exiaiit  among  the  InOians,  at  lea^t,  appears  from  this,  that  a  celeb:  :iled 
Indian  prince,  when  he  discovered  how  the  Protestants  treated  each  ctlier, 
exclaimed,  "  What  a  strange  God  have  the  English,  who  put  one  another  to 
death  about  their  God  !" 

The  followirg  facts  extracted  from  Sewel's  histtxry  of  the  Quakers,  in  rela- 
tion to  the  persecutious  they  underwent  at  the  hands  of  the  I'rou  slants  [so 
called]  of  Nevv  England,  can  scarcely  fail  to  be  interesting:  namely,  tiiat 
Mary  Fisher  and  Ann  Austin  were,  in  accordance  with  the  eccle-iastical 
laws  adopted  by  the  protestants  o(  New  England,  and  for  the  crime  ot  be  ng 
Quakers — stripped  naked — birbarously  misu-ed — imprisoned — sent  b  ck  to 
Old  England — and  robbed  of  their  beds  and  bibles  to  pay  the  jailor's  tees;— 
that  lor  the  same  cause  eight  others  were  shut  up  in  prison  eleven  week« — 
charged  by  Gov.  E.nUiCOTT,  saying.  "  Take  heed  that  ye  break  not  our  eccle- 
■iastiral  laws,  for  then  you  are  sure  to  stretch  by  the  neck,— and  finally,  scat 
back  tu  Old  England, — that  Mary  Clark  received  twenty  stripes  on  her  bare 
back  with  a  corded  whip,  and  was  shut  up  in  prison  three  months  in  the  win- 
terseaion; — that  C.  Holder  and  J.  Copeland  received  each,  thirty  stripes 
with  a  ku'^lted  whip — the  hangman  measuring  the  ground,  and  fetching  the 
ttrokes  with  all  his  force ;  that  upon  seeing  their  flesh  cut  so  cruelly,  a  woman 
of  the  company  fell  down  deal  , — that  £j.  ^  C.  HoutUick  were  cat  ried  to  tue 
house  of  correction,  whipt  in  the  usual  brutal  manner,  although  aged  and  m- 
flrm,  and  lined  £4  lOi  for  not  coming  to  church: — that  iV.  B rend  and  IV. 
LedUra  were  carried  to  the  house  of  correction,  whipped,  kept  live  dayi 
without  food,  put  in  irons,  neck  and  heels  sdjoining,  for  nixteen  hours; — that 
priest  Norton  observed, "  They  hare  endeavored  to  beat  our  gospel  ordinanc«t 


322        Assumption  of  the  False  Principle,  etc.     [E.  Art.  4. 


32d.  Tliat,  in  A.  D.  1661,  in  an  English  parliament  of  hieh 
churchmen,  ii  was  decreed  ihat  the  liiurgy  should  be  enforced 
throughout  England;  that  the  Solemn  League  and  Cuvenant 
were  treasonable  oaths:— and.  tlia:  the  king  whs  the  only  lawiul 
supreme  governor  of  the  realm,  in  mauers  spiritual  as  well  as 
temporal ;  and,  also,  that  ihey  who  denied,  ihai  such  was  ihe 
case,  were  lo  he  declared  rebels  and  ire;iied  accordingly.  (See 
Hume  Hist.  England  and  Text,  p.  1  lo  20.) 

33d.  That,  in  A.  D.  1699,  it  was  decreed  in  British  pailia- 


black  and  blue,  and  \(  iiit-y  be  braicD  black  and  blue,  it  Is  butju-t,  and  I  »ill 
appear  in  behalf  of  lllo^e  who  bavr  thus  beaten  iheni,  ' — U.ai  J.  Cup^land, 
C.  Holder,  anil  John  Rous  had  their  rishi  eir*  cut  off  for  Ihe  same  CouSf,  i  e. 
they  were  quakers; — Ihat  D  and  F.  Soulkick  were  «old  as  slaves  to  Barba- 
dofs  to  answer  the  6nes  imposed  upon  thmi  tor  not  coming  lo  church; — that 
tV.  J)Iaston  had  one  thousand  pounds  taken  frncn  hini  for  ab-enlinf;  anu  sep- 
arating himself  Ironi  the  church  ; — that  H.  J\rorlon,  for  bein^  a  quakrr,  wai 
branded  with  the  letter  H  lo  sij^nify  heretic; — that  ff.  Robinson  and  M. 
Slephenson,  being  Quakers,  were  execnted  0'"t.  A.  1).  1651),  under  circniu- 
stances  shocking  to  every  di?ciple  of  the  school  of  Christ,  y^a,  shock'ng  to 
every  good  htalhen; — that  Priest  Wilson,  at  the  gallo.vs,  said  lo  Robinson, 
(now  about  lo  be  launched  into  eternity)  "shall  suchJucks  as  you  co;iie  in 
before  authority  with  their  hats  on  !" — and,  that  M.  Dyer  and  JV^.  Ledd'-a, 
in  A.  D.  1660  and  '61,  were  executtd,  under  ciicunisiances  enough  lo  niako 

the  good  man's  heart  turn  pa!  to  make  angel's  weep,  fud  all  hell  lo  si  out 

in  triumph  !    [p.  157  to  272.] 

Bui,  this  is  bjr  no  means  all,  for,  besides  those  speciucally  named,  thera 
were  vast  numbtrs  b  itb  of  men  and  women,  who  in  those  days  were  siripped 
naked  ironi  the  waist  upwards—tied  to  the  cart  s  tail,  and  s-.ourged  ihrongh 
the  villaj^es  in  the  most  cruel  and  shocking  manner,  whilst  ihe  clergy — the 
principal  in-tigators  of  these  diabrflical  and  anti-ch i istiao  scenes — usually 
looke<l  on  and  laughed!! 

What,  ihen,  it  is  asked,  will  modern  profe«sed  protestanls  answer  to  all 
this  ?  Will  they  still  say  thai  their  fathers  persecuted  ai.d  put  the  quak.Ts  to 
death  under  popish  laws — in  the  face  of  ihe  history  of  the  countcy — ^hich 
abundantly  show.',  tliat  ihe  protestants  themseli  ts,  in  their  own  assemblies, 
enacted  the  laws  by  which  they  thus  put  men  and  women  lo  death,  on  account 
of  their  religion  .'  Or,  will  they  lly  lo  the  other  horn  of  the  dilemiiia.  and 
•ay,  that  to  pul  the  Quakers  lo  death — lo  banish  them — lo  fine  and  imprison 
them — lo  scourge  them  from  city  to  cily — lo  cul  oil' their  ears — to  bore  Iheir 
tongues  with  red  hot  irons — to  brand  th<  m,  &c.,  on  a'-counl  of  iheir  religion — 
is  not  to  persecute  thera  by  any  nicansll  J^ay,  rather,  how  will  ihey  here- 
after attempt  to  palliate  the  blood  gnillinesB  of  iho^e  whom  ihey  are  nruud 
to  acknowledge  as  their  progenitors  and  spiritual  fathers?  The  testimony  of 
Roberlton  in  his  Charlo  V.  speaks  on  this  wise:  "The  reformed  clergy, 
filled  with  real,"  [i.  e.  from  the  Inst  of  dominion,]  "  forgot  the  naliirf  ol  their 
own  mission.  They  armed  themselves  with  excommunication,  then  with  im- 
perial power,  anil  at  length  with  the  terrors  ot  the  star-chamber — niaking  ona 
with  the  papal  inqui-ition;  thus,  instead  of  leading  in  Ireedom,  by  iii"»n«  of 
rational  arKumenls.  they  attempted  to  lead  men  like  slaves,  by  force.  Whenca 
it  resulted,  that  to  doubt  or  deny  any  doctrine  lo  which  these  unerring  in- 
■trnctors  had  given  their  vancliou,  was  held,  not  only  to  be  a  resisting  ol  tha 
truth,  but  an  act  of  rebellion  agamst  their  sacred  authority.  Calvin,  ('ran- 
nier,  Knox,  and  Luther,*  when  they  had  power,  inflicted  the  »ame  puiiishmenii, 
on  mch  as  questioned  their  creeds,  which  were  denounced  against  their  OWB 
disciples  by  the  church  of  Rome."    (p. 446,  447.) 

•  See  Wote. 


Chap.  III.3      Adoption  of  the  False  Principle,  etc.  323 


tneni,  under  the  influence  of  the  Reformed  Clergy,  that  if  any 
person  professine  ih*'  Christian  religion,  shall  by  writing, 
teaching,  or  advised  speaking,  deny  any  one  of  the  persons  of 
the  Holy  Trinity  to  be  God,  or  mait»t:iin  tliai  there  are  more 
Gods  than  one,  he  shall  undergo  the  penalties  to  be  inflicted  by 
the  statute  of  heresy.    (See  Blacksione.  v.  4.  p.  49.) 

34lh.  That,  in  A.  D.  1732,  a  schism  having  taken  place  in 
the  church  (»f  the  Reformed  1  iergy  of  the  schocd  of  Calvin,  the 
result  was.  ihnt  Ebenezer  Ernkine,  and  three  others  who  ad- 
hered to  him  constituted  themselves  into  a  di.-linct  body  which 
they  named  The  Associate  Presbytery;  and,  finding  thai  the 
Lord  had  said,  **  Where  two  or  three  are  gathered  together,  in 
my  name,  there  am  I  in  the  midst  of  them,"  thence  concluded, 
that  the  plain  and  necessary  consequence  thereof  was  that  they 
themselves,  being  of  the  clergy,  were  meant  and  intended,  and, 
consequently,  that  authority  was  thence  given  them  to  meet  to- 
gether, ill  the  name  of  the  Lord,  to  consult,  determine,  and  de- 
cree matters  and  things  in  relation  to  the  government  and  wel- 
fare of  the  church!    (See  Test.  As.  Pres.  p.  23.) 

35th.  That,  in  A.  D.  1736.  the  Reformed  clergy  of  the  Asso- 
ciate Presbytery  hatched  out  what  thev  were  pleased  to  call 
their  "Judicial  De<'d  or  Testimony,"  and  exhibited  it  for  ac- 
ceptance and  reception.    (Test.  p.  27  to  30.) 

36ih.  'I'hai  in  A.  D.  1743,  a  schism  took  place  in  the  Asso- 
ciate Presbytery — Mr.  Nairn  and  those  of  his  party,  resolved 
to  swear  to  the  National  Covenant,  in  the  very  wo-ds  in  which 
it  was  originally  framed,  and  thence  distinguished  themselves 
by  taking  the  name  of  The  Reformed  Presbytery.  (Test. 
32  to  50.) 

37th.  That,  in  A.  D.  1747,  a  second  schism  took  place  inUhe 
Assotiaie  Presbytery — twelve  of  the  Reformed  clergy  adhering 
to  the  burgher's  oath,  (i.  e.  to  adhere  to  the  religion  presently 
professed  within  the  realm  to  the  end  of  life;)  boili  parties, 
however,  claim  to  be  the  Associate  Presbytery  to  this  day. 
(Test,  p.  30  to  54.) 

38ih.  That,  in  A.  D.  1751,  a  third  schism  took  place  in  the 
•Associate  Presbytery,  namely,  by  means  of  one  of  their  mem- 
bers strongly  insi.sting  that  Christ  died  in  some  sense  for  all ; 
and  of  his  thence  being  deposed  as  a  heretic  !  (4l)  (See  Test, 
As.  Pres.) 

39ih.  That,  in  A.  D.  1776,  a  fourth  schism  took  place  in  the 

(41;  This  wmt  foor  yeart  after  E.  Swedeiiborg  bad  beguu  te  publiah  t*  tb* 
world  the  Hcarenl/  Arcana. 


324 


The  Communion  Test — Memorable.    [E.  Art.  A. 


Associate  Presbytery,  one  party  assuming  the  name  of  the 
Associate  Presbytery  of  Pennsylvania,  and  the  other,  that 
of  New  York.  (Test.) 

40th.  That,  in  i780,  the  Associate  Presbytery  of  New  York 
united  with  the  Reformed  presbytery  origin-iiing  wiih  Mr. 
Nairn;  (see  article  36.)  whence  originated  the  Associatk 
Rkkormed  Presbytery  that  exists  ai  this  day.    (See  Test.) 

41s!.  That,  in  A.  D.  1782,  a  fifih  schism  took  |)lace  in  the 
Associate  Presbytery,  (iiow  the  Associate  Preshytery  of  Penn- 
sylvania) whifh  resulted  in  the  major  part  of  the  clergy  remain- 
ing in  the  Associate  Presbytery  adjoining  themselves  to  the 
Associate  Reformed  parly.  'I"he  members  of  this  coaliiioa 
have  sometimes  been  called  the  United  Brethren. 

42d.  Thai,  in  A.  D.  1784,  the  Reformed  clergy  of  the  Asso- 
ciate Presby/ery,  (usually  known  by  the  name  of  Covenanters,) 
in  svniid  judicially  decreed,  that  the  test  of  communing  with 
them  should  be  nothing  less  than  an  adheratice  to  all  tlie  ihliigs 
contained  in  their  Declaration  and  'I'estimony ;  in  the  West- 
minster Confession  of  Faltli;  and  in  the  Directory  (or  public 
worship.  (4m)  (See  the  Testimony  iiself.  p.  1 19,  120.)  The 
qnaliiy  and  tendency  of  all  wliii'h  have  been  abundantly  exhib- 
ited in  the  notes  preceding,  namely,  from  (3  q)  throughout. 

But,  here  let  us  hold  our  hand  for  a  moment,  till  we  inquire 
after  the  stnte  of  the  controversy — the  point  at  issue — the  pro- 
posi'uon  to  be  proved.  And  is  it  not  this,  namely,  "That  the 
clergy  of  the  Christian  chnri'h,  after  the  example  of  the  wicked 
kings  of  Israel,  adopted  the  principle,  that  man  may  judicially 
de'c'-mine  faith  and  laws  of  order  for  the  men  of  the  church, 
and  carried  out  that  principle  with  a  high  hand.'^  Such  being 
the  proposition  under  consideration,  is  it  necessary  to  remind 
the  reader,  that  its  truth,  as  referred  to  the  Catholic  clergy,  was 
abundantly  exhibited  in  the  preceding  number?  (232.)  And 

(4  m.  \Vc  hope  the  re«der  will  be  pUaaed  to  find,  th«t,  in  the  preceding 
nagfs  of  this  work,  a  comprehensive  view  is  tifforded  of  the  prominent  feature! 
and  traii?»clions  of  the  Christian  church,  from  the  time  it  was  first  planted  by  lh« 
»po«tlr',  down  10  the  bepiiininp  of  the  eighteenth  centurj  ;  and  that  from  thii 
time  down  to  the  year  1784  a  similar  r'lm  i»  afforded  of  the  praniinent  trans- 
actions which  have  transpired  amongst  the  Reformed  cle'gy  of  the  school  of 
Calvin.  And  not  only  so,  but  al-o.  that,  from  the  year  1789.  (fi»e  yearn  after- 
WBidf,)  when  the  receivers  of  th»-  dorirines  of  the  New  Church  wrote  o»er  the 
entrance  --f  the  home  of  God  Now  it  is  Allowable,  down  to  the  present 
tinif.  a  similar  view  is  affjrded  of  the  prominent  transHCtions  which  hara 
lak^n  ■  larr  in  (he  New  Church  of  the  L»rd  in  America;  and  conseqaenllr , 
that  the  who!*-,  taken  in  the  complex,  must  niad<  present  to  the  mind  of 
the  Tcider,  n  coniprehensife  chain  of  concatenated  facll  and  transaclioni 
of  the  deepest  impoitance  to  erery  man  of  the  church;  and  which,  digcstad 
io  ■•  small  a  compass,  it  ii  probable  h<  may  look  for  aUawber*  in  Taia. 


Chap.  IV.]    Tlie  ground  of  the  false  principle,  etc.  325 


from  all  that  has  now  been  adduced,  in  the  numerous  articles 
of  this  number,  concerning  the  Reformed  clergy,  their  princi- 
ples, their  confessions  or  expressions  of  faith  judicially  deter- 
mined— their  liturgies,  directories,  and  church  disciplines, 
involving  faith  and  laws  of  order  for  the  men  of  the  church,  can 
a  doubt  ever  remain  in  the  mind  of  any  man,  that  the  proposi- 
tion is  true  as  referred  to  the  clergy  of  the  Clirislian  church, 
both  Catholic  and  lieformed  ?    By  no  means,  surely. 

CHAPTER  IV. 

That  the  principle,  namely,  that  one  man  may  determine  faith 
for  another,  is  grounded  in  the  love  of  self  and  lust  of 
■  dominion. 

228.  That  this  principle  is  in  direct  opposition  to  the  truths 
of  the  Word, — all  of  which  cohere  together — has  been  suffi- 
ciently exhibited  in  n.  217,  and,  that  it  is  also  not  only  in  direct 
opposition  to  the  doctrines  of  the  apostles  and  the  fathers,  but 
also  to  the  heavenly  doctrines  of  liie  New  Church,  may  be  see.i 
abundantly  in  n.  218  to  222.  Wherefore,  the  principle  in  ques- 
tion, namely,  that  one  man  or  one  body  of  men  may  determine 
faith  for  others,  or,  what  is  the  same  tiling,  may  legislate  so  as 
to  give  laws  of  faith  and  order  to  the  church,  because  it  stands 
in  opposition  and  hostility  to  all  that  is  heavenly  and  divine, 
whether  in  relation  to  the  truths  of  the  Word,  the  doctrines  of 
the  apostles  and  the  fathers,  or  to  tlie  heavenly  doctrines  of  the 
New  Church,  must  of  necessity  flow  from  an  opposite  direction, 
namely,  instead  of  flowing  from  love  to  the  Lord  and  charity 
towards  the  neighbor,  it  must  of  necessity  flow  from  tlie  love 
ol'  self  and  lust  of  dominion  thence. 

229.  Had  it  not  been  foi  the  love  of  self  and  lust  of  domina- 
tion over  the  things  of  heaven  prevailing  in  the  clergy,  we 
never  should  have  even  heard  of  such  a  thing  as  an  ecclesiastical 
council,  in  the  common  acceptation  of  the  term,  namely,  an 
assembly  of  ecclesiastics,  assembled  for  the  purpose  of  giving 
laws  of  order,  including  articles  of  faith  for  the  church,  by 
which  to  chain  down  the  faith  of  others,  and  thence  to  lake 
away  all  their  freedom  in  spiritual  things,  and  by  which  to 
make,  constitute  and  frame  planes  or  platforms  (see  233,  art.  29) 
for  all  others  to  stand  upon, — and  within  the  perimeter  of  which 
to  confine  all  their  ambulations  and  circumgyrations  in  heavenly 
things,— or  be  excommunicated  from  the  church,  and  churcij 

28 


326 


Ground  of  the  False  Principle.        [E.  Ar(.  4. 


privilege?, — and  ihence  to  Satan  himself.  Nay,  the  least 
sqiiinling  in  tiie  direction  of  law-making,  in  sucli  case,  would 
have  been  promptly  put  down  by  the  Peters  of  the  church, — 
exclaiming  in  her  assemblies,  "  Now  therefore  why  tempt  ye 
God,  to  put  a  yoke  upon  the  neck  of  the  disciples  which  neither 
we  nor  our  fatliers  were  able  to  bear '  " 

230.  Since  the  \yoild  began,  who  ever  heard  of  a  man  that 
verily  believed,  that  what  he  really  did  believe,  in  relation  to 
the  things  of  salvation  and  heaven,  was  all  false  and  erroneous  ; 
and  that,  therefore,  some  one  man  or  body  of  men  ought  to  be 
])rivileged  and  authorized  to  give  laws  or  rules  of  faith  to  him, 
and  at  the  same  time  to  compel  him  to  believe  them,  receive 
them,  and  submit  to  them  ?  When  such  a  non-descript  as  thw 
can  be  produced,  then  might  we  agree  with  the  Precursor,  (vol. 
3,  p.  137  col.  2)  that  it  is  time  for  men  to  commence  law-mak- 
ing in  the  church  ;  and,  if  the  major  jiart  of  tlie  men  of  tlie 
church  were  in  a  state  similar  to  that  of  t!ie  non  descript  just 
noticed,  liien  it  might  be  further  agreed,  liiat  such  perverted 
state  will  produce  a  form  of  government,  but  what  that  form 
•would  resemble  no  man  may  imagine,  conceive,  or  tell  !  (Ibid, 
p.  138,  col.  2.)  Na)',  in  such  case,  it  might  safely  be  conceded, 
that  a  lawgiver  were  necessary  to  give  laws  to  the  clergij  as 
well  as  to  the  laif  ij .'  (Ibid.) 

231.  But  because  no  such  n<in-descripts  (see  the  last)  were 
<!ver  given,  nor  indeed  ever  shall  be  given,  and  because  there  is 
not  a  single  passage  in  the  ^^^)rd  autliorizing  any  man  or  body 
of  men  to  judicially  and  authoritatively  ilelennine  the  sense  of 
the  Word  for  others,  niucli  less  to  mould  and  fashion  it  into 
orthodoxy,  or  wiiat  is  tlie  sjune  thing,  into  laws  of  faiih  an(J 
order  for  the  church,  lherefi>re  it  of  uecessi'y  follows,  that  no 
man  or  body  of  men  e\er  did,  or  ever  can  go  about  to  uonslitute 
themselves  a  judicial  body  for  the  purpose  of  determining  faith 
and  laws  of  church  order  for  others,  much  less  to  set  up  their 
judicial  decisions,  edicts,  laws,  ordinances,  decrees,  bulls,  etc. 
"iji  the  holy  place,  as  if  they  were  the  gate  of  heaven,  through 
which  all  must  pass  in  their  journey  thithei  ward,  unless  actuated 
by  the  love  of  self  and  lust  of  dominion  over  the  faith  of  others, 
thus  over  the  things  of  heaven. 

232.  In  Cor.  xxx.  we  arc  essentially  taught,  that  he  who 
frames  canons  (i.  e,  ecclesiastical  laws)  lor  the  church  from  his 
own  intelligence,  however  confirmed  by  the  Word,  eats  of  the 
tree  of  science  of  good  and  evil.  lJut  we  are  no  where  taught, 
that  he  who  frames  laws  from  the  Word  for  the  church  eats  of 
the  tree  of  life  ;  for  the  doctrine  there  taught  is  that  he  wlio 


Cliap.  IV.]        Everij  Brother  ivill  Supplant. 


327 


procures  lo  himsklf  rules  of  faith  from  the  Word,  for  the 
cluirch,  (i.  e.  the  church  in  himself,)  eats  of  the  tree  of  life. 
But  that  it  is  for  the  church  in  himself  alone,  and  not  in  others, 
that  a  man  may  procure  truths  from  the  Word  to  himself,  is 
evident  from  wliat  we  are  taught  in  D.  P.  164,  namely,  that 
"each  man  has  his  place  and  state  distin;t  from  the  state  of 
others ;  and  that  from  the  common  slock  [^the  Word]  he  draws 
his  [own]  task  [rules  of  faith  for  the  church  in  himself,]  accord- 
ing to  his  situation,  function,  and  necessity,  altogetiier  like  each 
thing  in  the  human  body."  It  is  now  allowable  for  all  alike  logo 
to  the  common  stock  of  the  Word,  each  to  draw  thence  his  own 
tusJi,  his  own  rides  offuilh,  and  because  it  were  utterly  absurd  to 
suppose  thati should  draw  another's  task  from  the  common  stock, 
thcrelbre  it  were  equally  so,  to  suppose  that  I  should  thence 
draw  rules  of  failh  for  others  besides  myself.  That  this  is  the 
doctrine  of  Swedenborg  is  evident,  nay,  indeed  were  it  other- 
wise it  would  stand  in  opposition  to  the  Word  (»f  the  Lord  by 
the  mouth  of  Jeremiah,  saying,  "  cursed  is  he  that  putieth  his 
trust  in  man,  and  maketh  flesh  his  arm, — whose  heart  departeth 
from  the  Lord."  And  in  opposition  to  what  we  are  elsewhere 
taught  in  the  Word,  to  put  no  trust  in  a  brother  nor  conSdenco 
in  a  guide,  seeing  every  brother  will  supplant.  ^Vhence,  the 
exhortation  involved  in  the  passages  just  noticed  is — "Let  no 
man  lake  thy  crown."  Let  no  man  rob  you  of  your  birthright — 
tJie  right  now  allowed  to  all,  of  going  to  the  common  slock  of 
the  Word,  each  man  for  himself,  to  draw  his  own  task,  his  own 
rules  or  truths  of  faith,  according  lo  his  own  function  and 
necessity. 

233.  In  Ap.  Ex.  1029,  we  are  essentially  taught,  that  the 
clergy  of  Bubyl/)n  arc  so  blinded  by  the  lust  of  dominion,  that 
they  believe  that  the  laws  of  faith  and  order  which  they  enact 
for  the  church  in  their  councils  are  reaUy  accepted  of  the  Lord  ! 
and  that  in  proporlion  as  ihey  obtain  dominion  they  never  fail 
to  manifest  the  end  they  have  in  view,  namely,  not  that  the 
Lord  might  rule,  but  themselves — not  that  they  might  serve  the 
Lord,  but  the  Lord  them.  Nay,  farther,  that  the  clergy,  in 
whom  the  love  of  self  and  the  lust  of  domination  reigns,  never 
rest  until  they  get  their  traditions  (all  tending  to  dominion  over 
the  souls  and  bodies  of  the  laity,)  established  in  the  shape  of 
edicts,  dictates,  papal  bulls,  or  laws  of  church  order  involving 
the  things  of  failh;  (all  of  which  are  the  same  thing.)  through 
which  lo  make  void  the  law  of  God — the  divine  truths  of  his 
Word,  (Compare  with  Ap.  Ex.  1055.)  To  all  which,  innu- 
merable other  things  from  the  D.  D.  might  be  adduced,  of  a  like 


228 


Approving  of  Earthly  Ij)rds. 


[E.  Art.  4. 


character,  -were  not  brevity  kept  strictly  in  view.  But,  from 
the  things  which  have  been  adduced,  tiie  truth  of  the  proposition 
under  consideration,  namely,  tliat  "  the  principle,  that  one  man 
may  determine  faith  for  others,  is  grounded  in  the  love  of  self 
and  lust  of  dominion,"  shines  out  manifestly. 


CHAPTER  V. 

Thai  all  who  sanction  and  approve  the  principle,  namely,  that 
man  may  determine  faith  and  laws  of  order  for  the  church, 
must  needs  approve,  at  the  same  time,  of  earthly  lords,  yea, 
of  wicked  men  as  being  lords  over  God's  heritage. 

234.  In  n.  237,  it  is  evidently  proved  and  demonstrated,  that 
no  man  or  body  of  men  ever  did,  or  ever  can  assume  the  power 
and  prerogative  of  determining  fiuiii  and  laws  of  order  for  the 
church,  unless  actuated  thereto  by  the  love  of  self  and  lust  of 
dominion  ;  not  only  so,  but  the  same  thing  was  proved  through- 
out the  preceding  chapter;  whence,  if  none  ever  have  assumed, 
nor  ever  can  assume  sucii  power,  unless  actuated  by  the  love  of 
self  and  lust  of  dominion, — unless  actuated  by  the  monster  self 
love  rising  tip  in  them,  and  clutching  at  all  it  can  reach, — then 
it  will  follow,  that  none  ever  have  assumed  or  can  assume  it  but 
earthly,  sensual  and  wicked  men,  imless  it  can  be  shown  that  men 
nctuated  by  the  love  of  self  and  the  lust  of  dominion,  are  heavenly 
and  holy  men.    And,  consequently,  if  none  ever  have  assumed  or 
ever  can  assume  the  power  to  determine  laws  of  faith  and  order 
for  the  church  excepting  earthly  and  wicked  men,  actuated  by 
the  love  of  self  and  lust  of  dominion — then  it  will  follow,  thai 
the  proposition  is  true,  namely,  that  all  who  sanction  and  ap- 
prove ol  the  principle,  that  man  may  determine  faith  and  laws 
of  order  fur  the  church,  must  needs  approve  at  the  same  time 
of  earthly  lords,  yea.  of  wicked  men  as  being  lords  over  God's 
lieritage;  and,  especially  seeing,  that  sovereignty  and  legisla- 
ture are  convertible  terms:  the  one  incapable  of  subsisting  with- 
out the  other.    (See  HIackstone,  v.  p.  46.) 

235.  To  know  the  annals  of  the  church,  is  also  to  know,  that 
Avhen  the  clergy  usurp  the  power  to  decree  faith  and  laws  of 
order  for  the  church,  they,  at  the  same  time,  from  the  love  of 
self  and  the  lust  of  dominion,  never  fail  to  make  it  to  be  of  that 
faith  and  of  those  laws,  that  the  sovereignty  and  dominion  over 
the  church  is  vested  in  themselves.  Calvin  taught  his  disciples, 
that  the  iiiquiry  of  the  clergy  ought  not  to  be  concerning  how 


Chap,  v.]    .Antichrist  a  Beggar's  Baby — ivhcre. 


339 


they  might  live  without  established  laws  in  ihe  church,  (mean- 
ing ecclesiastical  laws,)  but  that  tlie  inquiry  ought  r;U!ier  to  be 
concerning  that  management  and  order  best  adapted  to  retain 
themselves  in  their  office!  (Sec  note  3  q.)  Whence,  it  follows 
inevitably,  that  he  wlio  approves  and  sanctions  the  principle  in 
question  does  nothing  less  than  approve  of  the  usurpation  of  the 
clergy,  as  so  many  earthly  sovereigns  and  lords  over  God's 
heritage,  actuated  by  the  love  of  self  and  the  lust  of  dominion, 
*'  rising  up  continually  within  them,  and  clutching  at  all  they 
ran  reach*  "  Such  sycophantic  clerical  tools,  it  would  appear, 
would  hive  the  world  to  believe,  that  the  Lord,  the  God  of  the 
ichole  earth,  had  indeed  become  deceased!  and  that  the  clergy 
had  been  made  and  constituted  d\e  executors  of  his  last  will  and 
testament ;  and  thence,  that  their  duties,  in  relation  to  the 
Word  and  every  thing  concerning  the  eliurch,  are  purely  execu- 
tive !    (See  Pre.  p.  138,  v.  3,  cL  2.) 

236.  'Co  know  the  annals  of  the  church,  is  to  know,  that  at 
Rome,  where  the  clergy  are  acknowledged  as  lords  and  sove- 
reigns, thus  as  the  lawgivers  of  the  church.  Antichrist  is  of  age 
■and  wears  a  crown*  and,  that  wherever  the  first  degree  of  dig- 
nificaiion  is  asked  or  contended  for  in  the  church,  there  is  Anli- 
rhrist  at)eggar's  baby  at  the  breast !  liut,  should  not  all  know, 
that  liberty  and  rationality  in  man  is  God's  throne  ;  and,  that  he 
who  asks  for  ,i  degree  of  lordship  or  sovereignty  whence  that 
is  i/j<;a(/ei7,  is  Antichrist  any  where?  Nay,  farther,  that  it  is 
the  peculiar  work  of  the  spirit  of  Antichrist  to  derange  the 
equality  of  Christians,  by  setting  them  (like  the  lords  of  the 
gentiles,)  to  striving  leho  shall  be  greatest,  and  that  Christ  can 
mever  be  the  head  of  Uiat  body  which  thus  strives,  much  less  of 
l!»at  which  is  actually  led  and  governed  by  one  of  its  own  mem- 
bers,  instead  of  himself,  the  true  head,  king,  and  governor  in 
his  c^ulrch  and  kingdom. 

237.  Must  we  yet  go  and  fell  it  to  the  church,  that  he  who 
approves  of  the  setting  up  of  sovereigns  to  make  and  frame  laws 
of  order  for  the  church,  with  power  and  inlluence  to  attach 
ideas  of  guilt  to  the  breach  of  their  laws,  does  nothing  less 
than  approve  of  the  kindling  of  an  unquenchable  fire,  in 
which  to  burn  up  the  wheat,  and  at  the  same  lime  of  the 
fra'ning  of  garners  into  which  to  carefully  gather  all  the 
chaff  ?  Or,  what  is  virtually  the  same  thing,  that  such  man 
does  nothing  less  than  approve  of  the  laying  of  snares,  and  the 
netting  of  traps,  in  which  to  eatch  all  honest  men  who  adhere  to 
the  law  of  the  Lord,  so  as  to  excommunicate  them  all  to  Satan; 
and,  at  the  same  time,  of  framing  and  building  up  synagogues 
throughout  the  land  for  hypocrites  and  unbelievers  ! 

28* 


330    Keeping  in  motion  the  balance  wheel  of  heaven.  QE.Art.4. 


238.  Blinded  by  llie  love  of  self  and  lust  of  dominion,  the 
cleffy,  even  of  the  present  age,  insanely  seek  to  be  clothed 
with  eartlily  authorit}',  with  degrees  of  dignificalion,  and  with 
priestly  robes,  cut  out  and  fashioned  in  the  shops  of  Italy  ;  so 
that  thus  gloriously  arrayed,  like  Herod,  (Acts  xii.  23)  they 
might  exhibit  their  leaven,  speech  or  doctrine,  in  the  form  of 
laws  to  the  church, — so  that  (corresponding  wilii  the  case  of 
Herod)  the  people  might  shout  aloud,  saying,  they  are  not  the 
laws  of  men,  but  the  laws  of  God ;  and  all  this  to  the  end — aa 
in  the  case  of  the  oration  of  Herod — not  that  God  might  have 
all  the  honor  and  glory,  but,  that  tiiey  themselves  might  be 
firmly  established,  as  the  lords  and  sovereigns  over  God's  lierit- 
age,  and  thence,  that  the  glory  might  be  all  their  own.  Not 
only  so,  but,  what  is  certainly  very  remarkable,  is  that  the 
clergy,  from  the  same  cause,  (the  love  of  self  and  lust  of  do- 
minion,) become  blinded  to  such  degree,  that  they  insanely 
suppose  that  their  ecclesiastical  enactments  of  laws  for  the 
church, — their  sovereignty  over  her,  along  with  all  their  degrees 
of  dignification,  splendor,  and  glory,  are  acceptable  to  the 
Lord  ! — nay,  that  the  Lord  even  requires  such  things  at  their 
hands,  as  if  they  were  essential  to  the  existence  of  his  church 
and  kingdom  in  the  world  !  Wliereunto  then  shall  we  liken 
the  clergy  ;  and  with  what  comparison  shall  we  compare  them  ? 
Verily,  my  friends,  they  might  justly  be  compared  to  the  lunatic, 
who  gravely  asserted,  that  he  kept  in  motion  the  balance  wheel 
of  heaven,  and  that  were  it  not  for  him,  the  world  would  all 
stand  still. 

239.  Look,  my  friend,  at  the  annals  of  the  church,  and  it 
will  be  strange  if  you  should  fail  to  find,  that  the  question 
with  the  clergy  has  seldom  been,  '  iniut  has  God  spoken?* 
'  tvhat  is  his  word?'  But  contrariwise,  that  it  is  rather  con- 
cerning things  adapted  to  the  spiritual  subjugation  of  the 
laity,  and  the  plenitude  of  their  own  sovereignty  over  all — con- 
cerning how  they  shall  best  succeed  in  taking  the  Word  under 
their  own  special  care  and  protection,  (see  note  4  b,  fifthly,)  and 
thence  avail  themselves  of  all  the  aid  it  may  aflord  them,  by 
being  gracefully  bent  to  favor  their  own  ambitious  views ;  and 
(in  case  it  should  condemn  them)  concerning  liow  they  may 
best  succeed  in  putting  it  on  the  rack  of  predestination,  pre- 
eminence, or  sovereignty  (as  the  case  may  be,)  and  thence  in 
toituring  it  into  an  utterance  of  something  that  will  suit  their 
purpose ;  nay,  or  something  that  may  go,  not  only  to  establish 
their  own  supremacy,  but  also  to  authorize  them  to  appoint 
their  own  devoted  successors, — by  doling  out  a  portion  of  the 


Cliap.  v.]     Thinking  and  Believing  by  Proxy.  331 


spirit  to  each — as  though  (he  residue  of  (he  spirit  ivas  wi(h 
f/ie//J,and  the  divine  iiiHux  thereof  from  them  !   (See  iMal.  ii.  15.) 

240.  Look  at  the  annals  of  the  chiircli,  and  you  will  hardly 
fail  to  see,  that,  in  whatever  country  the  clergy  have  been 
established,  agreeably  to  their  own  ambitious  views,  there, 
not  only  spiritual  liberty  has  ceased,  but  civil  liberty  also. 
If,  in  such  case,  civil  liberty  remains,  it  remains  only  as  a 
dead  shell — a  dead  form  :  especially  seeing,  that  the  essence 
of  all  liberty  is  with  spiritual  liberty,  and  of  necessity  takes 
its  flight  with  it!  But,  that  the  trulh  of  this  may  be  seen,  as 
if  written  by  a  sun-beam  of  heaven,  it  is  only  necessary  to  con- 
trast the  Mexican  and  Southern  priest-ridden  republics  with 
our  own.  Who,  then,  cannot  see,  that  a  system  of  religion 
which  invests  its  clergy  with  power  to  dictate  the  things  of 
faith  authoritatively  is  a  false  system — a  false  religion,  and 
carries  not  only  the  mark  of  the  beast,  but  also  of  liomau' 
ism  and  Paganism  on  its  forehead  and  in  its  right  hand  ? 

241.  Is  it  not  almost  self-evident  that  tradition  and  prejudice 
is  the  soul  of  all  the  religion  of  those  who  look  to  earthly  lords 
and  lawgivers,  for  the  things  of  faith,  and  the  institutions  of  the 
church  •  and  who  thence,  of  necessity,  exercise  their  souls  by 
proxy — think  by  proxy,  and  believe  by  proxy?  Where  then 
is  the  man,  who  dare  sanction  or  approve  the  principle  in  'ques- 
tion, namely,  that  man  may  determine  faith  and  order  for  the 
church  ?  Did  not  the  Lord  put  his  disciples  on  an  equality  for 
ever,  in  relation  to  any  thing  savoring  of  earthly  authority, 
by  teaching  them  that  the  authority  amongst  them,  was  to  be 
the  opposite  or  negative  of  that  exercised  by  the  lords  of  the 
gentiles,  and  great  men  of  the  earth. 

242.  But,  if  the  clergy  lay  more  stress  upon  the  necessity  of 
standing  upon  the  planes  or  platforms  which  they  have  framed 
for  all  to  stand  upon,  than  of  standing  upon  the  Rock  of  Ages ; — 
if,  from  the  lust  of  dominion,  they  may  lay  more  stress  upon 
the  necessity  of  diinking  the  corrupt  and  stagnant  waters  of  tlieir 
cisterns,  which  they  have  hewn  out,  or,  of  the  waters  which 
they  have  fouled  with  their  feet,  than  of  the  pure  river  of  (he 
water  of  life; — or,  what  is  still  tlie  same  thing,  if  the  clergy, 
from  the  lust  of  ruling,  lay  mere  stress  upon  the  necessity  of 
obedience  to  their  laws  of  order  and  ceremonious  observances 
than  upon  obedience  to  the  lavv  of  God  itself,  then  the  impor- 
tant question  arises,  why  do  not  the  people  withdraw  their 
support  from  the  clergy,  so  as  to  let  them  fall  backwards  inlo 
that  slate  of  nothingness  from  which  they  originally  sprung? 
Nevertheless,  to  which  it  is  given  to  answer,  that,  because 
the  people  find  it  to  be  more  in  agreement  with  their  external 


832 


Approving  of  Earthly  Lords.         [E.  Art.  4. 


state,  to  follow  external  ceremonies  and  observances,  than  to 
excel  in  a  life  of  self-denial,  holiness,  and  true  pieiy,  therefore 
they  LOVE  to  have  it  so  ; — namely,  tiiat  men  may  determine 
faith  and  laws  of  order  for  the  church  ;  and,  in  agreement  with 
which,  is  tiie  words  of  Jeremiah  thus,  "  The  prophets  prophecy 
falsely,  and  the  priests  hear  role  by  iheir  means  ;  and  my  peo- 
ple love  to  have  it  so  ;" — that  is,  tiiey  sanction  the  principle 
(5,  31.) 

243.  Who  knows  not,  that,  to  promote  the  ambiiious 
schemes  of  the  clergy,  it  is  quite  expedient  that  unmeaning 
ihings,  yea,  and  things  contradictory  to  common  sense  and  true 
chri^lianity,  siiould  be  surrounded  with  avte,  and  imposed 
by  a  sanciinmnious  and  ghostly  authority  on  the  stnliitied 
senses  of  the  laity  ?  But,  nevertheless,  who  is  he  that  suffici- 
ently knows,  that  all  religious  regulations  are  oidy  auxiliary 
means  of  leading  men  to  a  good  life,  and,  consequently,  that  it 
is  pitiful  and  absurd  to  suppose,  that  the  performance  of  un- 
meaning ceremonies  is  rendering  ilivine  service  ;  or,  indeed,  any 
other  species  of  service  to  God  ?  The  Siiastra  teaches,  that 
"no  perishable  means  can  cITect  tiie  acquisition  of  an  imperish- 
able end."' 

244.  From  the  approval  of  the  principle  in  question,  n  miely, 
that  men  may  determine  faith  and  laws  of  order  for  the  church, 
it  has  resulted,  that  instead  of  good  works — the  works  of  mercy 
and  trutli — we  have  such  things  as  hoh/  dtii/  keeping — Fridai/ 
fusts — band  meetings — class  meetings — stenlorophonic  swell- 
ings of  vaniti/,  called  sermons,  to  amazement  rather  than  edili- 
cation — water  baptism,  independently  of  what  it  represents, 
to  strangling  and  sullocation — fret  icasliing,  independenily  of 
any  thing  meant  or  intended  by  it,  to  the  scaling  up  of  tlie  uti- 
derslanding  in  midniglit  darkness — liijmn  singing,  independ- 
ently of  sense  oi  unders'anding,  to  the  ravings  of  insanity — and 
finall)',  long  prayers,  independently  of  the  Lord's  direciion  on 
that  subject,  to  the  utmost  extent  of  pharisaical  hypocrisy!  It 
seems  to  be  forgotten  in  these  days,  that  it  is  only  him,  that 
iloes  justice,  loves  mercy,  walks  humbly  with  his  God,  trembles 
at  his  Hard  and  does  it — that  the  Lord  will  bless  with  his  pre- 
sence and  thence  with  heaven  ; — that  the  l^ord  preferred  the 
son  that  apparently  refused  to  obey  his  father,  and  yet  obeyed 
liim,  to  the  son  that  professed  his  readiness,  but  yet  neglected 
the  work  ;  and,  that  tiie  Lord  preferred  the  heretical,  but  chari- 
table Samaritnn,  to  lh<!  uncharitable,  though  orthodox  priest 
and  sanctimonious  licviie  ! 

245.  'I'okuow  the  annals  of  the  church,  is  alsc  to  know  that 


Chap,  v.]         Obscure  Shibboleths  of  the  Times.  333 


the  cler<^y  Iiave,  not  only  monopolized  the  study  of  religion, 
(theology,)  but  have  thence  degraded  it  into  a  technical  phrase- 
ology. Not  only  so,  but  that  they  have  not  only  determined 
and  decreed  the  articles  of  belief,  but  also  have  declared  the 
terms  unbeliever  and  immoral  synonymous.  It  seems  to  be 
forgotten  at  this  day  that  religious  belief  cannot  be  forced  upon 
a  man  any  more  than  love.  This  being  forgotten,  is  the  reason 
why  it  is  also  forgotten,  that  religious  beliefs,  creeds,  disciplines, 
etc.,  set  up  by  the  clergy,  can  do  no  other  than  encourage  and 
pave  the  way  for  hypocrisy  of  the  fellest  character. 

246.  Is  it  not  self-evident,  that,  on  the  subject  of  religion, 
every  man  should  be  personally  concerned  for  himself;  and, 
that  his  union  with  his  God  should  be  left  free  from  human 
authority  ;  and  especially  from  the  overbearing  spirit  of  the 
clergy  who  have  seized  upon  religion  as  if  it  were  their  own 
property  exclusively — which  none  hut  themselves  may  touch 
on  pain  of  deaih,  as  in  the  case  of  Uzzahrcho  touched  the  ark? 
How  passing  strange  it  is,  that,  on  the  subject  of  religion,  the 
human  understanding  should  be  obscured  and  trampled  upon  by 
the  creeds  and  commandments  of  the  clergy  in  this  age  of  ihs 
world  !  Nay,  look,  my  friend  and  brother,  at  tlie  result ;  for,  it 
is  this,  that  professed  christians  draw  their  doctrines  of  life  from 
the  civil  code  of  laws,  and  their  doctrines  of  faith  from  the 
ecclesiastical  code  of  the  clergy,  while  the  precepts  of  the  gos- 
pel are  almost  forgotten  and  lost  siglit  of.  .  Nay,  rathej,  while 
the  Word,  containing  the  laws  of  divine  order,  is  become  as 
a  book,  sealed  with  seven  seals. 

247.  He  who  seeks  will  not  fail  to  find,  that  the  laws  of 
civil  rulers  are  wiser  than  tliose  of  the  clergy; — that  the  object  of 
the  former  is  usually  to  promote  die  general  order  and  happiness, 
while  that  of  die  latter  is  only  lo  promote  the  dominion  and 
sovereignty  of  the  clergy;  or,  at  most,  the  exaltation  of  a  sect 
or  party,  i.  e.  of  a  part  and  not  of  the  whole  :  and,  in  a  word, 
that  it  is  a  positive  historical  fact,  that  religious  rulers  have  done 
more  misciiief  lo  mankind  than  civil  rulers. 

248.  Is  it  not  becoming  more  and  more  manifest  that  a  reli- 
gious reform  is  indispensably  necessary  to  the  progress  of  hu- 
man happiness  ; — that,  to  this  end,  clerical  pre-eminence,  au- 
thority, and  rule,  should  be  put  down  for  ever; — that  there 
should  be  no  code  of  laws  but  the  civil  code,  to  restrain  the 
lawless  and  i-efractory,  and  the  code  of  the  laws  of  divine  order, 
contained  in  the  word,  to  teach,  lead,  and  guide  men  in  the  way 
of  heaven,  and  thence  into  it ;  and,  that  the  cold  and  obscure 


33'i      Valuable  Discovcries-^How  first  Received.  [E.  Art.  4; 

Shibbnlelhs  of  tlie  limes  sliould  immediately  give  place  to  the 
intelligible  and  lieavenly  doctrines  ol'  the  new  dispensation, 
now,  ct  last  unfolded  to  die  admiring  view  of  men  and  angels  1 

249.  Ludier  observed,  "It  is  in  vain  to  expect  reformation 
at  the  hands  of  the  clergy  :  for  they  only  piddle  at  curing  warts, 
while  iliey  overlook  confiimed  ulcers."  And,  so  is  the  case 
even  at  this  day,  inasmuch  as  the  clergy  even  yet  decry  every 
tiling  in  the  shape  of  refoim  or  ini[)iovenient  proposed,  unless 
its  tendency  be  to  elevate  them  to  still  higher  degrees  of  dignifi- 
cation.  Who  knows  not,  that,  to  tlve  end  that  they  might  for- 
ever exclude  improvement  and  reform  (under  the  name  of  cu- 
rious innovations)  from  the  precincts  of  the  church,  they  liave 
never  failed  to  enforce  it  upon  the  men  of  the  church,  accord- 
i"g  to  the  length  of  the  civil  chain,  to  swear  fealty  to  their 
dogmas,  and  abide  by  them  to  dieir  life's  end  ;  and,  that,  in  case 
Jiny  thing  in  the  shape  of  improvement  and  reform  (falsely 
called  curious  innovations)  should  insinuate  themselves  into  the 
understanding  of  the  men  of  the  church,  the  clerical  panacea,  to 
rcs<orc  ihem  again  to  the  right  use  of  their  understanding,  is, 
that  "  The  iniderstanding  must  be  kept  under  obedience  and  in 
strict  subjection  to  the  faith."  Nevertheless,  ii  is  of  the 
comforts  of  the  Comforter  to  know,  that  the  clergy  have,  in 
pome  degree,  been  forced  to  yield  to  the  march  of  intellect, — 
for,  alihongli  it  be  true  that  their  spirit  remains  unchanged,  yet 
iliey  have  been  forced  to  lower  llie  lone  of  their  dogmas,  what- 
ever grief  of  soul  it  may  have  occasioned  them. 

250,  Who  knows  not,  that  it  is  of  the  inlluence  of  the  priest- 
liood  or  clergy,  that  the  cry,  His  dangerous''^  has  been  the 
first  cold  rocei)lion  of  every  valuable  or  great  discovery  ? — that 
Fijlhu'j;orus  and  Jlnaxagones  were  banished  from  their  native 
country,  because  iliey  taught  new  doctrines  ? — that  Democritus 
was  treated  as  insane,  because  lie  labored  to  fin  J  out  the  causes 
<pf  in.sanity  ? — tliat  Socrates  was  forced  to  drink  hemlock,  l)e- 
cause  he  introduced  new  doctrines  in  relation  to  the  unity  of 
Goil  ? — that  Servetut  was  burnt  at  the  stake,  at  the  insiigation 
of  Calvin,  for  writing  ajjainst  tritheisni? — that  Galileo  was 
shut  up  in  prison  for  demonstrating,  that  the  earth  revolves  o« 
its  axis  once  in  a  day,  and  round  the  sun  once  in  a  year? — that 
Jlervey  was  persecuted  on  account  of  his  discoveries? — that 
previously  to  Aristotle's  philosophy  becoming  popular,  his 
books  were  burned  ;  but  in  after  ages,  the  writings  of  flamus 
against  Aristotle  were  treated  similarly? — that  whoeveropposed 
Aristotle  now  was  treated  ;is  a  heretic — nay,  even  philosophers 
were  now  forbidden  to  combat  him  on  pain  of  being  sent  to  the 


Clmp.  IV.] 


Approval  of  Earthly  Lords. 


336 


galleys  ;  rcverllielcss,  tliat,  at  ihe  present  day,  the  pliilosnpliy 
of  Arisioile  is  only  taught  in  the  university  of  Oxford  in  Eng- 
land? And,  finally,  that  Descartes  was  persecuted  for  leach- 
ing the  doctrine  of  innate  ideas,  nay,  as  being  an  niheist,  at- 
t!iou<rh  he  had  written  on  ti.e  existence  of  God  ;  and,  tliat  his 
hooks  were  burned  by  order  of  the  University  of  Paris,  which, 
nevertheless,  afterwards  adopted  the  doctrin;  of  innate  ideas, 
with  such  zeal,  that  when  Locke  and  Ccndillac  attacked  it,  the 
crv  o(  inalerialirmum]  fafalis'/n  was  raised  against  tiicm, 

251.  Is  it  necessary  to  tell,  that,  had  the  prophet  Elijah 
kept  his  understanding  under  obedience  to  tiie  orttiodoxy,  estab- 
lished by  Jeroboam,  Omri,  and  Ahab,  by  means  nf  iheir  eccle- 
siastical statutes,  Jezebel  would  not  have  caused  him  to  be  ban- 
ished from  the  precincts  of  Israel? — that,  had  Amos  kept  his 
understanding  under  obedience  to  the  orthodoxy  of  Jeroboam, 
p.nd  thence  had  kissed  his  calves,  he  would  not  have  been  ban- 
ished from  his  chapel  as  a  conspirator,  and  as  an  enemy  to  good 
gftvernmcnl? — that,  lia:l  Jeremiah  kept  his  nnderstandinif  un- 
der obedience  to  the  orth(.doxy  of  the  times,  lie  would  not  iiave 
been  put  in  the  stocks,  in  prison,  or  in  the  dungeon,  i^s  a  traitor 
and  enemy  to  the  peace  of  Israel  ? — that,  had  John  (he  Baptist 
kept  his  understanding  under  obedience  to  the  liypocrilica!  leav- 
en or  orthodoxy  of  Herod,  Herod  would  not  liave  be'ieaded 
iiim  ? — that,  had  the  Lord  himself  (if  one  may  so  speak)  kept 
his  understanding  in  obedience  to  the  hypocritical  leaven  or  or- 
thodoxy oftlie  ]>!iari„eas,  (i.e.  their  traditions  and  command- 
ments,) the  priests  would  not  have  caused  liim  to  be  crucified  ? — 
that,  had  Paid  kept  his  understanding  under  obedience  to  the 
orthodoxy  of  the  Ephesians,  i.  e,  had  he  not  attempted  to  in- 
troduce new  doctrines,  improvement,  and  reformation  among 
them,  the  craftsinen  would  not  have  ciied  for  the  space  of  two 
hours,  great  is  Diana  of  the  Ephesians? — that,  had  Servetas 
not  attempted  to  introduce  improvement  or  reformation  into  the 
church. —  had  he  not  taken  as  tlie  motto  of  his  book  wiiicli  he 
published,  "  31irhael  and  his  angels  fought  against  the  devil 
arid  his  angels" — had  he  laid  down  his  pen,  and,  like  his  ortho- 
dox neiglibors,  kept  his  understanding  under  obedience  to  the 
ortliodoxy  ol"  John  Calvin, — had  lie  even  taken  a  solemn  oath, 
that  he  verily  believed,  that  the  true  import  of  the  passaire, 
"Seek  ye  first  the  kingdom  of  heaven  and  its  righteousness," 
etc.,  is  neither  more  nor  less  than,  that  the  clergy  should  form 
and  devise  lau-s  of  ecclesiastical  polity  for  the  church,  to  which 
the  understanding  of  the  laity  should  bow  in  submissive  obedi- 
ence on  pain  of  death,  (see  note  Z  g) — or,  in  a  word,  had  he  sane- 


Approval  of  Lords  over  GoiVs  Heritage.    [E.  Art  6. 


tioned  and  approved  the  principle,  namely,  that  the  clergy  may  de- 
termine faiih  and  laws  ot'order  for  the  church — Calvin  would  not 
have  caused  hiin  to  be  burnt  lo  death  at  the  stake,  with  a  burning 
of  two  hours' duration.  And,  in  the  general,  that  had  the  people 
kept  their  understanding  strictly  under  obedience  lo  the  ortlio- 
doxy  of  the  times,  the  ministers  of  Anti-Christ  would  not  have 
invented  the  innumerable  modes  of  torture  which  they  did  in- 
vent, by  which  to  persecute  and  put  men  to  death  for  conscience' 
sake — and  for  the  good  reason,  that,  in  such  case,  men  would  soon 
have  become  as  destitute  of  conscience  as  the  beasts  that  perish. 

252.  To  know  tlie  annals  of  the  church,  is  to  know  that  the 
clergy,  through  cunning  and  management,  have  caused  not  only 
that  iheir  opinions  should  be  received  as  true  orthodoxy,  (i.  e. 
the  true  standard  of  faith,)  in  all  ages  and  countiies,  but  also, 
that  certain  degrees  of  nobility,  with  titles  thence  corresponding, 
should  be  given  to  themselves,  which  the  Lord  never  intended 
should  be  given  to  his  disciples.  In  the  convention  held  at  Je- 
rusalem, there  were  no  ^'  Ji  eve  rends,"  nor  "  Bevercnd  Fathers 
in  God.'"  Such  unholy  sounds  as  liev.  Paul,  Rev.  Peter, 
Itev.  Titus!  were  not  heaid  in  the  days  of  primitive  Christian- 
ity. In  these  days  a  man  is  constituted  s.  Reverend  by  the  im- 
position of  the  hands  of  the  clergy  ;  but  tliat  such  was  not  the 
case  in  the  days  of  primitive  Christianity  may  be  seen  from 
this,  tliat  although  Simon  3Iagus  received  the  apostolical  im- 
j)Osition  of  hands,  yet  he,  so  far  from  thence  being  a  Reverend 
divine,  remained  in  the  gall  of  bitterness  and  bond  of  iniquity. 
But,  as  it  farther  regards  lilies  of  dignification,  it  is  worthy  of 
remark,  that,  in  liie  '  Dialogues  of  Devils,^  Fastosus*  acknow- 
ledges himself  as  the  great  inventor  of  clerical  titles,  whether 
it  were  Papas  Supremas,  Patriarcha,  Pater  Cakdinalis, 
Archiepiscopus,  or  others  !  (4m) 

253.  The  noble  and  tilled  clergy,  (see  the  last)  when  asked 
what  is  right,  virtually  answer  orthodoxy,  i.  e.  our  decisions, 
our  opinions,  our  religious  belief.  But,  because  every  hypo- 
crite may  say  /  believe,  and  because  the  clergy,  actuated  by  the 
monster  self  love  and  the  lust  of  dominion  thence,  will  not 
hesitate  to  lead  the  people  blindfold,  is  it  not  evident,  that  tho 

«  Pride. 

(4  m)  111  the  original  state  of  mankind,  degrees  of  nobility  and  titles  of  dis- 
tiiirllon  thence  rorrc^pondiiig-,  were  iinluiovvn.  All  were  iheTi  on  a  common 
level.  Bui,  H'Men  hell  succeeded  in  milking;  a  conqiiest  of  man,  it  reMilted  that, 
from  the  love  of  self  and  the  lust  of  dominion  thai  thence  lloivtd  in.  (he  orig- 
inal e(|ualily  became  disturbed,  and  finally  <lis$ulvcd.  JVevei  lheless,  that  man 
might  not  lose  sight  of  lii.«  orio;inal  stale  of  equality,  it  is  of  Divine  Order  that 
the  svstem  of  superiority  and  inferiority  is  continually  on  the  change.  Beg', 
gars  descend  from  kinjs,  and  kings  are  sometinies  elevated  from  dunghills. 


Chap.  IV.]    The  reign  of  positive  truth  commencing.  337 


orthodoxy  of  the  clergy  should  never  be  made  the  basis  of  any 
religious  doctrine;  and,  especially  seeing,  that  from  their  self- 
exaliaiion,  dignificaiion  and  titles,  they  never  fail  to  lose  sight 
of  the  revelation  of  God,  and  thence  to  anthropomorphise  him 
into  such  an  one  as  themselves? 

254.  Paul  teaches,  that  the  scriptures  are  able  to  make  a  man 
wise  unto  salvation;  but  the  sclf-tiiled,  ennobled,  and  dignified 
clergy,  maintain  that  the  Scripture  of  itself  is  not  a  sufficient 
directory  ;  (note  46)  and  that  their  directories,  creeds,  etc.  are 
necessary  to  perfect  the  laws  of  order  according  to  which  God 
has  established  the  church.  Wiio  knows  not,  that  it  is  ortho- 
doxy, and  not  the  Word  by  any  means,  tliat  is  the  standard 
referred  to,  by  the  proud  pharisees  of  the  present  day,  for  the 
resolution  of  all  doubts,  in  relation  to  the  churcli,  and,  that  one 
reason  is,  truth  and  orthodoxy  are  two  things,  often  very  dider- 
ent  and  sometimes  diametrically  opposite ;  and,  that  the  other 
reason  is,  because  the  things  of  orthodoxy  flow  from  the  imag- 
ination of  the  thought  of  their  own  heart,  and  is  grounded  in 
the  love  of  self,  while  the  tilings  of  truth  flow  from  a  strange 
place  to  them,  because  they  flow  from  heaven  ! 

255.  It  is  well  known,  that  systems  of  orthodoxy  diametrically 
opposite  to  each  other,  have  been  defended  to  death.  But  the 
question  is,  why  did  not  the  knowledge  of  this  fact,  staring  the 
clergy  and  t!ie  men  of  llie  church  in  the  face,  give  the  death 
blow  to  ecclesiastical  legislation  forever?  Why  did  not  the 
men  of  the  church  thence  learn  to  paj?^  more  attention  to  the 
tnttlis  of  the  Tford,  than  to  tiie  opinions  of  them  that  preach 
them  ;  and  to  know  that  truth,  having  its  own  intrinsic  value, 
acquires  not  its  worth  from  tiiose  who  teach  it,  and  that  men 
arc  unworthy  of  the  trust  and  dependence  of  one  another  in  the 
things  of  salvation?  The  clergy,  it  is  true,  by  looking  at  the 
past,  are  well  aware,  that  their  dominion  and  sovereignty  over 
the  bodies  and  souls  of  men  can  never  be  properly  secured  to 
themselves,  but  by  the  aid  of  ecclesiastical  laws,  framed  in 
accordance  with  human  reason,  and  to  which  the  Word  may  be 
made  to  truckle,  yield  or  bend.  But'shall  the  men  of  church 
forever  tamely  submit  to  the  meeting  of  the  ministers  of  Anti- 
christ in  council  or  convention — there  to  legislate  and  frame 
orthodoxy  for  the  church,  as  did  their  fathers  before  ihem  ? 
And  shall  they  forever  submit  to  exercise  their  souls  by  proxy, 
think  by  proxy,  and  believe  by  proxy— thus  approving  the 
principle,  namely,  that  the  clergy  may  determine  orthodoxy  for 
the  men  of  the  church  ?    Heaven  forbid  ! 

256.  Is  it  not  evident,  that  to  subscribe  to  the  dogma,  namely, 
29 


338 


The  Beign  of  Positive  Truth. 


[E.  Art.  i. 


that  the  understanding  must  be  kept  under  obedience  to  the  faith, 
is  virtually  the  same  as  to  subscribe  to  the  entire  prostration  anil 
abnegation  of  reason  ?  Nevertheless,  the  clergy,  from  the  lust 
of  dominion,  never  rest  until  they  ciinse  all  to  subscribe  to  it, 
and  receive  the  mark  thereof  in  their  forehead, — snd  this  for 
three  reason?:  first,  as  a  means  of  securing  themselves  in  office, 
(note  3  q)  second,  in  hiding  from  view  their  selfish  intentions,  as 
manifested  in  their  ecclesiastical  enactments  ;  and  third,  as  a 
means  of  enforcing  conviction  of  their  infallibility.  But  shall 
not  '•  reason  re-assume  her  native  sway  in  the  full  splendor  of 
perennial  day  ;  "  and  shall  not  all  clerical  aulhoiily,  rule,  and 
infallibility  fall  prostrate  before  it? 

257.  If  the  most  opposite  rules  of  conduct  have  at  different 
times  been  enjoined  by  the  clergy,  as  orthodox  and  infallible,  is 
it  not  evident,  that  mere  faith  in  religious  opinions  will  no 
longer  suffice  men  of  sense  and  sound  discretion  ?  Is  it  not 
evident,  that,  as  long  as  the  subject  of  theology  is  defined 
according  to  the  good  will  of  ecclesiastics,  it  will,  of  necessity, 
remain  contradictory  and  uninlclligibie  ;  and  can  never  become 
positive  and  absolute?  and,  therefore,  that  the  lime  has  at 
lengtli  arrived,  when  pliilosophy  and  religion  must  again  be 
■united  as  at  the  beginning — when  absohjte  virtue,  inoralitv;  or 
theobigy,  must  become  suscrpiilile  of  being  d(  monsirated,  as 
one  of  the  liberal  sciences,  aijd  when  the  reisn  of  positive  truth 
must  and  will  begin  ?  Nay,  from  a'l  that  has  been  adduced  on 
this  subject,  is  it  not  evident,  that  the  time  has  arrived,  when 
the  arbitrary  creeds  of  ecclesiastics  must  give  place  to  the  invari- 
able and  immutable  laws  of  order,  and  when  man-made  stand- 
atds  of  viilue,  morality,  and  religion  must  of  necessity  siiare 
their  fate  along  with  papal  bulls,  edicts,  or  decrees  ?  (one  of 
which  was,  that  the  earth,  instead  of  being  a  globe,  is  a  large 
plain,  as  fiat  as  a  trencher) — namely,  wlu^i  they  must  all  be 
given,  without  exception,  to  the  moles  and  buls?  f'lsa.) 

258.  God  has  not  only  given  to  man,  but  a|so  identified 
with  his  very  being,  all  the  mural  laws  that  are  necessary  for 
his  happiness  here  and  hereafter ;  and,  is  it  not  therefore  evi- 
dent, that  it  ought  to  be  the  great  object  of  the  professed  min- 
isters ofGod  losiudy  and  leach  these;  and,  by  their  submission 
tolhcm,  to  give  an  example  of  their  truth  and  excellence;  lath- 
er th:in  to  go  about  to  eulbice  upon  the  people  llu  ir  own  tiadi- 
tiniis  and  comuiandnients  ?  Who  can  dictate  moral  laws? 
He  that  can  challenge  the  world  to  convict  him  of  sin — he,  and 
he  alone  cati  have  tlie  right  to  determine  moral  principles,  and 
frame  rules  of  moral  conduct  ! 


Chap.  I  v.]        Laws  discovered,  nol  made. 


339 


259.  Who  knows  not  that  ii  were  the  height  of  absurdity 
in  naiiiralisls,  to  endeavor  to  create  or  make  physical  hiws  1 — ' 
tliat  the  mechanical  laws  are  the  same  now  that  they  were  in 
the  days  of  Arcliiiiiedes  ? — ilril  the  mechanician  never  attempts 
to  war[t  or  change  tliem  in  constructing  his  machines  ? — that 
llie  laws  of  chemistry,  whellier,  as  referred  to  the  specific  pro- 
l)ortions  in  which  different  substances  coinbhie,  or  to  tlie  dif- 
lerent  portions  of  space  they  occupy  in  their  different  states, 
gaseous  or  fixed,  or  otherwise,  never  vary  ? — -lliat  the  laws  of 
the  circle,  involving  the  relations  which  exist  between  the 
sines,  idugents,  and  secants,  are  of  necessity  eternally  the 
same,  and  not  to  be  varied  by  the  caprice  of  the  m  ithemalician  ?— 
tliat  the  angles  of  a  tri-angle,  taken  together,  have  ever  been, 
and  will  ever  remain  to  be  equal  to  two  right  angles,  or  one  hund- 
red and  eighty  degrees?  And  who  knows  not  that  the  laws  of 
propagation  and  nutrition  remain  uuciianged;  and,  that  man 
must  adapt  himself  to  tiiem,  or  perish? 

260.  But,  if  physical  laws  (predic.ited  of  matter)  exist  in 
nature,  or  the  external  world,  are  only  discovered,  and  not  cre- 
ated, why  should  it  enter  the  mind  of  man  otherwise,  than  that 
moral  laws  (predicated  of  mind)  exist  in  the  spiritual  world, 
and  are  only  discovered,  and  not  created  or  made  ?   (4  g.)  And, 

(4  0-)  DeniO'ilhenes  lays  it  down  thus :  "  The  objert  of  laws  is  t»  asr.erlaia 
uiixt  is  juil,  honorable  and  expedient;  and  wheti  tliat  is  diiCovereH,  it  is  pro. 
cJaiiiied  as  a  geiieial  ordinance,  equal  and  iiupai'lial  to  all.  Tjiisis  the  origin 
of  law  with  men;  and  which  for  various  reasons  all  are  under  obligations  lo 
obey ;  but  especially  (jecause  all  law  is  the  invention  and  gift  of  heaven, 
adopted  by  wise  men  for  the  correction  of  every  oflence  and  the  general  com- 
part of  the  stale:  "    Cicero  thus: — "  Law  is  the  highest  consideration  in- 

stiiuled  by  nature;  and  is  on\y  manifested  in  her  commands  and  prohibitions." 
— "No  injustice,  whatever  name  is  given  to  it,  can  be  considered  as  law, 
though  a  whole  nation  should  submit  1 1  its  infliction.  Justinian  said,  that  ev- 
ery thing  that  was  of  the  law,  might  be  reduced  to  one  or  another  of  tbess 
heads,  ''That  we  should  live  honorably,  hu;t  nobody,  and  render  to  every  one 
his  due  "  Woulesqnieu  alledged,  that,  to  say  there  is  neither  j notice  nor  in- 
justice, encepling  that  which  isderUred  to  be  so  by  positive  [arbitrary]  laws, 
is  equal  lo  <ayiiig,  that  the  radii  of  a  circle  are  not  equal  before  it  is  traced." 
"And  DIai'kstoae  alleges,  thai  the  law  of  nature  (meaning  the  law  of  God  re- 
maining in  human  nature — or,  what  is  the  same  thing,  the  natural  perceplion* 
of  ti  u(h  and  justice  remaining  wiih  man)  is  binding  over  all  the  globe,  in  all 
ronnlries,  and  at  all  tlcnes;  and,  that  no  human  laws  are  of  any  validity,  if 
Conlrary  to  this.  Nay,  that  such  of  them  as  are  valid,  derive  all  their  force 
and  all  their  authoi'it\',  mediately  or  inimediatel  v .  from  this  original."  Not 
only  so,  but  the  same  author  adds,  that  the  " — divine  [)rovidence  in  compassioa 
to  the  frailty,  the  imperfection,  and  the  blindness  of  human  reason,  hath  been 
pleased  to  enforce  its  laws  by  an  immediate  and  direct  revelation;  [i.  e.  the 
Word] — the  precepts  of  whicii  are  all  discovered  to  be  really  a  part  of  th« 
oiiginal  law  of  nature; — as  they  all  tend  in  their  consequences  to  man's  feli- 
<;ity,  and  thus,  that  they  are  indeed  of  the  same  original.  But,  withal,  the 
yame  author  gravely  informs  us,  (and,  a>.  it  would  seem,  in  (he  face  of  his 
own  better  j  udgnient,)  that  '•  there  arc  a  great  nun)ber  of  indifferent  points  in 
tiJjiclj  both  the  divine  law  and  the  natural  Itare  man  at  hit  t>wn  liberty:" — 


340  Approving  of  lords  over  God's  heritage.  [E.  Art.  4. 

if  God  has  indeed  finished  his  work,  in  relation  to  the  laws  of 
matter,  and  has  not  left  man  to  finish  it,  by  adding  a  single  new 
law  to  the  code,  (see  Bl.  v.  l,p,  38) — then  why  should  it  ever 
enter  the  mind  of  man  to  conceive  otherwise  than  that  God  has 
indeed  finished  his  work  in  relation  to  the  laws  of  mind  ;  and, 
that  he  has  not  left  man  to  finish  that  godlike  work,  by  adding 
a  new  law  to  the  code  of  moral  laws  already  established  ?  la 
it  indeed  necessary  to  tell  that  the  intellectual  operations  in  the 
world  of  mind,  under  the  influence  of  moral  laws,  are  as  incap- 
able of  being  changed  or  varied  by  clerical  enactments,  prayers, 
and  fastings,  as  is  the  motion  of  the  earth  itself,  under  the  influ- 
ence of  the  centripetal  and  centrifugal  forces,  by  the  same  means? 
Or,  that  the  clergy  of  the  papnl  church  did  indeed  enact  and  de- 
cree that  the  earth  was  a  vast  Jlat  plain,  fixed  and  immoveable, 
and  that  the  sun  travelled  round  it  once  e  very ,day,  and  that  he  who 
should  teach  to  the  contrary  was  a  heretic  and  should  be  treated 
accordingly  :  but,  nevertheless,  that  by  the  law  in  question,  they 
utterly  failed,  not  only  in  adding  a  new  law  to  the  laws  of  matter  al- 
ready establi^'hed,  but  also  in  neutralizing  those  forces  by  which 
the  globe  of  the  earth  performs  its  daily  and  yearly  revolutions? 

Where  then  is  ihe  man,  that  shall  yet  dare  to  say  that  he  ap- 
proves of  the  principle,  namely,  tliat  man  may  determine, 
enact,  create,  or  make  laws  of  faith  and  order  for  the  church, 
in  addition  to  the  moral  laws  already  given  for  his  guidance 
and  direction  to  heaven  ;  or,  that  will  yet  say  that  the  laws  of 
morality,  instead  of  beingsusceptible  of  proof  or  demonstration, 
and  thence  susceptible  of  being  studied  as  one  of  the  liberal 
sciences,  are  neither  more  nor  less  than  a  conventional  thing? 

tl.us  without  laws,  anil  consequently,  lo  make  anil  create  human  laws  accord- 
ing to  the  council  of  his  own  will.  Wheuce,  he  adilj,  "  And  herein  it  is  that 
human  laws  have  their  force  and  e/Vicacy:  for,  with  rep:ard  to  such  points  as 
are  not  indillereiil,  human  laws  are  only  declaratory  of  the  laws  of  nature  and 
of  the  laws  of  revelation,"  fSce  V.  I.  p.  -It),  41,  -ii.)  As  touching  thote  indif- 
ferent points  alluded  lo  l)y  the  learned  judjfe,  i(  would  no  doubt  be  interesting 
lo  the  reader,  to  exhibit  a  few  of  the  humaji  taws,  that  have  been  made  con- 
cerning them;  many  of  which  maybe  said, — like  those  of  Draco. — to  be 
written  with  blood,  rather  than  ink,  but  brevity  forbids.  Would  it  not  great- 
ly contribute  to  (he  happiness  of  our  rare,  if  all  legislators,  \vould,  in  the 
first  place,  go  and  learn  «7i<i/  this  menntlU;  naniely,  "  that  which  requires  an 
set  of  the  legislature  to  legalize  il,  is  in  its  nature  illegal!"  Swedcnborg 
teaches  that  the  law,  which  is  justice, oiir^hi  to  be  enacted  [declared]  hy  persons 
skilled  therein,  who  are,  at  the  same  t'nne,  full  of  « isdom  and  the  fear  of  God  ; 
and  that  the  governors  of  the  people  should  be  persons  skdUd  in  Ihe  know- 
ledge of  Ihe  laws— full  of  wisdom  and  the  fear  of  God.  (H.  D.  213,  2-23.) 
But  he  no  where  teaches,  that,  w  ith  any  nation  or  people,  there  should  be 
»n  august  body  of  men,  like  fhe  Hrilish  Parliament,  of  whom  it  was  said,  that 
it  tens  of  so  hi^h  arid  so  mighty  a  /lature  that  it  coutd  even  MAKE  LAWl 
(Blackstone,  Vol.1,  p.  16].)  Tliat  is.  make  by  their  euactaieiits,  that  to  bo 
law  and  juntice,  which  was  not  so  before! 


Chap.  IV,]  Dire  Oppression,  Sorrow,    Deep  Regret.  341 


CHAPTER  VI. 

That  ecclesiastical  laws  jor  the  government  and  faith  of  the 
church,  are  the  cause  of  sorrow  and  deep  regret,  as  well  as 
of  dire  oppression,  to  all  who  adhere  to  the  laws  of  the  Lord. 

261.  Wlio  knows  not  tliat  the  establishment  of  ecclesiasti- 
cal laws  of  faith  and  order  for  the  cliurch,  is  neither  more  nor 
less  than  the  establisiiment  of  the  opinions  of  the  cleigy,  and 
which,  ill  the  complex,  have  been  known  for  ages,  under  the 
title  of  ORTHODOXV ;  and  that,  not  only  the  members  of  the 
Synod  of  Doit,  but  the  rest  of  the  Reformed  clergy  of  that 
age,  did,  with  mortal  toils,  strive,  as  in  the  midst  of  (ire,  to  fix 
an  everlasting  standard  of  orthodoxy  ?  Shall  we  tell,  that  the 
Reformed  clergy,  first  making  tools  and  instruments  of  the 
magistrates  of  the  land,  then  caused  all,  both  poor  and  rich, 
bond  and  free,  to  subscribe,  and  swear  fealty  to  their  oithodoxy, 
and  thence,  essentially,  to  receive  the  mark  of  the  beast  in  their 
forehead  and  right  hand — tiiat  beast,  whose  image  they  had 
made  and  worshipped  ?  Or,  shall  it  yet  be  told  to  the  church 
and  the  world,  that  the  orthodoxy  established  by  the  Reformed 
clergy,  equally  with  that  established  by  the  hierarchy  of  Rome, 
was  any  other  than  a  trap  in  which  to  ensnare,  entangle  and 
catch  men,  to  the  end  that  they  might  oppress  them  with  blas- 
phemy and  heresy,  and  thence  put  them  to  death  for  believing 
the  Bible?    Is  it  indeed  forgotten,  that  orthodox  Presbyterians 

and  Episcopalians,  as  well  as  their  brethren,  the  orthodox 

papists— the  orihodox  pharisees — the  ortiiodox  worshippers  of 
calves  (or  devils), — have  all  had  the  honor  (that  flows  from  be- 
neath) of  putting  men  to  death  for  their  want  of  orthodoxy ; 
namely,  because  they  were  daring  enough  to  think  for  them- 
selves, contrary  to  the  ecclesiastical  traditions,  command- 
ments, and  statutes  of  priestly  usurpers ;  or,  what  is,  the  same 
thing,  because,  they  were  daring  enough  to  adhere  to  the  laws  of 
the  liOrd,  rather  than  to  the  orthodoxy  of  the  times. 

262.  In  the  reign  of  Ahab,  the  worshippers  of  Baal  wore  the 
bell  of  orthodoxy,  whence  we  find  that  the  prophet  Elijah,  in  flying 
from  orthodox  Jezebel,  in  the  sorrow  of  his  soul  exclairns  "  It  is 
enough :  now,  O  Lord,  take  away  my  life ;  for  I  am  not  better 
than  my  fathers  !"  "I  have  been  very  jealous  for  the  Lord 
God  of  hosts  [truths];  for  the  children  of  Israel  have  forsaken 
thy  covenants,  thrown  down  thine  altars,  and  slain  thy  prophets 
Wiih  the  sword,  and  I— I  only,  am  left,  and  they  seek  my  life, 
to  take  it  away."  Again,  in  the  reign  of  Herod,  the  hypocriti- 
cal Pharisees  bore  the  bell  of  orthodoxy  ;  whence  we  find  that 

the  Lord  himself,  from  his  jealousy  for  the  Lord  God  of  hosts  

29* 


342 


Bearing  the  bell  of  orthodoxy.        [E.  Art,  4. 


the  divine  truths  of  the  Word,  which  the  pharisees  had  made 
void  through  their  orthodoxy — "  beheld  Jerusalem,  and  wept 
over  it  J*'  and  on  another  occasion  exclaimed,  "  my  soul  is  ex- 
ceedingly sorroiiful  even  unto  death  !"  And  again,  in  the 
reign  of  Anti-Ciuist,  his  Catholic  ministers  may  be  said  to  have 
bnrne  the  bell  of  orthodoxy  for  the  space  of  1260  years  ;  whence 
we  find  that  not  only  dire  oppression  to  the  people  resulted, 
but,  that  seas  of  human  blood  were  shed  ai  tlie  shrine  of  ortho- 
doxy ;  and  that  Englaiid,  France,  the  NetherUmds,  and  the 
valleys  of  Piedmont  swam  with  llie  gore  of  such  as  were  very 
jealous  for  the  Lord  God  oj  hosts  ; — of  such  as  adhered  to  the 
laws  of  divine  order  laid  in  the  Word,  rather  than  to  the  ortho- 
doxy of  the  times — established  by  the  clerf»y. 

And  not  only  so,  but  we  also  find  from  the  same  annrds,  that 
his  [Anti-chrisi's]  Eeformcd  ministers,  emerging  from  ihe  Cath- 
olic dungeon,  seized  also  upon  the  bell  of  ortliodosy,  and  rung 
it  with  equal  terror  in  the  ears  of  the  astonished  world,  as  did 
their  Catholic  brethren  before  them  I — tlius  giving  the  oppress- 
ed, sorrowful  and  trembling  saints  of  the  Lord  to  know,  lhat 
their  blood  must  flow  at  ilie  slirine  of  ortliodoxy,  in  ihe  hands 
of  the  Reformed  clergy,  equally  as  freely  as  it  did  at  ihe  same 
shrine  in  the  hands  of  their  Catholic  bretliren. 

Bui,  independently  of  the  things  here  adduced,  it  is  conceiv- 
ed, that  the  truth  of  the  proposition,  under  consideration,  has 
already  been  abundantly  proved  in  the  numbers  preceding  ;  and 
especially  in  Nos.  55  to  58  and  216  to  234. 

CHAPTER  VII. 

That  Ecclesiastical  laws  tend  to  the  death  of  all  that  is  just 
and  holy  in  those  who  adhere  to  them,  and  thence  to  their 
removal  from  the  presence  of  the  Lord. 

263.  That  this  proposition  is  true,  as  referred  to  the  sons 
of  Israel,  may  be  seen  in  Moses,  fiom  what  here  Ibllows:  "  And 
tl)e  children  of  Israel  walked  in  the  statutes  [ecclesiastical  insti- 
tutions] of  the  heathen,  and  in  the  statutes  of  the  kings  of  Israel 
which  they  had  made." — "  They  rejected  the  statutes  of  the 
Lord,  [the  laws  of  order  according  to  which  the  Lord  had 
planted  tliem]  and  his  covenant  made  with  their  fathers,  and 
followed  after  vanity,  [orthodoxy]  and  became  vain,  [ortho- 
dox] after  tiie  fashion  of  the  heathen  round  about  them, — al- 
though charged  that  they  should  not  do  like  tliem."  " —  they 
left  the  laws  of  the  Lord  their  God,  and  walked  in  all  the 
sins  [statutes]  of  Jeroboam,  and  departed  not  from  them — " 
"  until  the  Lord  removed  them  out  of  his  sight  as  he  had  said 


Chap.  VII.]       Oath  of  Consecration  or  Fealty.  343 


by  all  his  servants  the  prophets."  •'  So  Israel  was  carried 
away  out  of  their  land  to  Assyria  unto  this  dayV  (See  ii. 
Kin^s  17.8.  15.  22.  23.) 

2Gi.  And,  tliai  walking  in  the  ecclesiastical  stalules  of  the 
prieslliood,  was  attended  with  a  sinriilar  result,  (see  the  last,)  as 
referred  to  the  Catholic  church,  may  be  abundantly  seen  from 
the  annals  of  the  cliurch.  Who  knows  not,  that  when  Catho- 
lic orthodoxy  fl:ipppd  his  raven  wings  over  the  benighted  church, 
that  lie,  and  he  alone  was  esteemed  a  just  man  who  would  in- 
jure, revile,  torment,  and  even  put  to  deatii — heretics — i.  e.,  all 
wlio  refused  to  submit  blindly  to  the  ecclesiastical  statutes  of  the 
clergj'  ; — and  that  he,  and  he  alone  was  a  pious  and  Jioly  man 
wlio  would  deprive  himself  of  his  possessions  to  enrich  the 
clergy,  to  build  temples,  &c.,  and  whose  faith  and  understand- 
ing were  so  im[)liciily  enslaved  to  the  ortliodoxy  of  the  clergy, 
that  he  believed  and  acted  without  examination,  just  as  his 
ghostly  diiectors  saw  fit  to  prescribe  ; — but  thrice  pious  and  thrice 
iioly  he!  who  toi)k  the  oaih  of  fealty  (called  the  oath  of  conse- 
cration) as  follows:  "I,  from  this  hour,  will  he  faithful  and 
obedient  to  my  lord  liie  Po|)e  and  his  successors  :  the  counsel 
they  entrust  to  me  I  will  never  discover  to  any  man  to  the  in- 
jury of  the  Pope.  1  will  assist  them  to  retain  and  defend  the 
popedom  and  the  royalties  of  St.  Peter,  against  a// men.  I  will 
not  be  in  any  council  wherein  any  thing  prejudicial  to  the  rights 
and  powers  of  the  Pope  is  contrived  :  but  will  make  all  observe 
them.  And  I  will  impugn  and  persecute  all  heretics,  and  all 
rebels  against  the  Pope."  And,  if  possible,  more  pious,  devout, 
and  holy,  he  who  took  the  secret  oath  of  fealty  [the  Jesuitical 
[oath]  as  follows  : — "  In  the  presence  of  Almighty  God,  and  of 
all  the  saints,  to  you  my  ghostly  father,  I  do  declare  that  his 

lioliness.  Pope  ,  is  Christ's  Vicar  General,  and  the  only 

head  of  the  universal  church  throughout  the  earth  ;  and,  that  by 
virtue  of  the  keys  given  him  by  my  Savior,  Jesus  Christ,  he  hath 

power  to  depose  heretical  kings,  princes,  states,"  etc.,  

"  tberefore  I,  to  the  utmost  of  my  power,  will  defend  this  doc- 
trine against  all  usurpers,"  &c. 

"  I  do  further  promise  and  declare,  that,  although  I  am  dis- 
pensed with,  so,  thai  I  may  assume  any  religion  heretical  for 

the  propagation  of  mother  church's  interest,  to  keep  secret 

all  her  agents'  counsels,"  &;c.  "All  which  I,  A.  B.,  do 

swear  by  the  blessed  Trinity,  and  the  blessed  Sacrament  which 
I  am  now  to  receive.  And  I  call  all  the  heavenly  hosts  above 
to  witness  these  my  real  intentions  to  keep  this  my  oath,"  etc. 
(See  Mosh.  V.  iii.  p.  247,  248  and  Brownlee,  p.  318,  329.)  But, 
besides  the  death  of  all  that  is  just  bnd  holy  in  the  Catholic 


344 


^9 just  and  holy  man — what.  [E.  A;  t.  4. 


church,  as  just  manifested  above,  it  may  be  added,  that,  in  rela- 
tion to  her  removal  from  the  presence  of  the  Lord,  Mosheim 
statps,  ihat  religion  with  her  became  so  corrupt  as  to  be  utterly 
destitute  of  any  thing  that  could  attract  the  esteem  of  ihe  truly 
virtuous  and  judicious  part  of  mankind;  and,  tliat  the  worship 
of  God  with  iier  became  converted  into  a  round  of  frivolous,  in- 
sipid, and  unmeaning  ceremonies!    (V.  iii,  p.  432.) 

265.  Moreover,  that  walking  in  accordance  with  the  ecclesi- 
astical laws  of  the  clergy,  instead  of  in  accordance  to  the  laws 
and  ordinances  of  liie  Lord  blameless  as  referred  to  the  Kef. 
church,  is  followed  by  the  death  of  all  that  is  just  and  lioly,  and 
ihence  by  iter  removal  fiom  the  presence  of  the  JiOrd  to  the 
land  of  Assyria,  equally  as  in  the  case  of  the  Jewish  and  Cath- 
olic churches,  may  also  be  seen  abundantly  from  the  annals  of 
the  cliurch. 

Who  knows  not,  that  it  is  because  orthodoxy — the  shadow 
of  which  Luther  endeavored  to  dispel — has  flapped  his  dragon 
wings  over  the  Reformed  church,  that  she  has  become  benight- 
ed and  f;illen  into  such  a  stale  of  thick  d.irkness,  as  to  cordially 
receive  as  a  just  irtan  him  that  will  slander,  defame,  prosecute, 
and  burn  lierelics  to  death,  according  to  the  extent  of  their  pow- 
er, and  tlie  length  of  tlie  civil  chain;  (see  Note  3  t  ;)  and,  as  a 
pious  and  holy  man,  iiim  that  will  keep  llie  needle  of  his  rea- 
son screwed  up  so  as  to  cease  vibrating,  and  his  understanding 
(whatever  may  be  inscribed  on  the  card  thereof)  under  stiict 
obedience  to  the  ortliodoxy  or  faith  of  the  clergy; — but  thrice 
pious  and  thrice  holy  he,  wlio  loves  Discipline,  i.  e.  who  loves 
the  ortliodoxy  of  the  clergy — who  loves  to  swear  lustily,  and 
tlience  actually  swears  fealiy  to  tlie  ecclesiastical  statutes  of  the 
clergy,  and  to  abide  by  them  all  the  days  of  his  life  !  (See 
Notes  3  q,  3  x.)  And,  finally,  in  relation  to  her  being  removed 
from  the  presence  of  the  Lord,  it  is  evident  from  the  things  ad- 
duced in  number  230,  that  religion,  with  her,  equally  as  with  the 
Catholic  church,  has  become  nothing  superior  to  a  round  of 
frivolous,  insipid,  and  unmeaning  ceremonies,  and  withal,  so 
corrupt  as  to  be  utterly  destitute  of  any  thing  that  can  attract 
the  esteem  of  the  truly  virtuous  and  judicious  part  of  mankind  i 

CHAPTER  VIIL 
T'hat   ecclesiastical  laws,  when  first  introduced  into  the 
church,  usually  appear  harmless,  although  the  end  thereof 
be  death. 

266.  Concerning  this  proposition,  it  might  be  asked,  who  is 
he  that  knows  the  annals  of  the  church  and  yet  knows  not  that 


Cliap.  VIII.]    JFirst  Introduction  Harmless,  etc. 


345 


ecclesiastical  laws  in  ihe  primitive  church  were  comparatively, 
like  bishop's  calves,  destitute  of  horns — apparently  liarmless 
ami  iiioHensive  ;  or  like  things  written  with  a  jiencil  on  a  slate, 
which  every  man  of  tlie  church  might  obliterate  and  expunge 
with  impunity  ;  but  that,  in  process  of  time,  they  become  down- 
riglil  papal  bulls — jnisliing  men  to  death  without  mercy,  and 
as  gricvovsness  wrilten  in  brass  ivilh  a  pen  of  iron,  by  which 
to  condemn  men  to  the  rack,  torture,  and  fire  of  the  inquisition 
of  the  Catholics,  and  to  tlie  equal  horrors  of  the  star  chamber 
of  the  Reformers  ?    (See  n.  232,  333.) 

267.  Respecting  the  apparent  harmlessness  of  the  decrees  of 
the  clergy,  when  first  exhibited,  Eusebius  informs  us,  "  that 
about  the  beginning  of  the  third  century,  provincial  conventions 
of  bishops  were  Iield  throughout  the  church,  to  determine  and 
decree  the  day  of  the  Lord's  pa?sover,  and  that  they  all  unani- 
mously drew  up  an  ecclesiastical  decree  which  they  communi- 
cated to  all  the  churches  in  all  places, — that  the  mystery  of  the 
Lord's  resurrection  !?hould  be  celebrated  on  no  other  day  than 
the  Lord's  day,  and  that  all  the  churches  should  on  that  day 
alone  observe  the  close  of  the  paschal  feasts."  But,  neverthe- 
less, that  the  bishops  of  Asia  paid  no  regard  to  the  ecclesiastical 
decree  in  question  ;  and  Poly  crates,  one  of  them,  in  writing 
to  Victor,  Bishop  of  Rome,  declared,  that  they  all  intended  to 
abide  by  the  custom  handed  down  to  them  from  tiieir  fathers, 
adding  withal,  that  they  "  ought  to  obey  God'rather  than  men  !" 
The  same  author  farther  informs  us,  that  Victor,  Bishop  of 
Roine,  upon  the  receipt  of  the  letter  of  Polycrates,  forthwith 
went  about  to  cut  off  all  the  churches  of  Asia  as  heterodox  from 
the  common  unity  1  But,  that  the  other  bishops  (who  in  com- 
mon with  Victor  had  framed  the  decree  in  question)  unanimous- 
ly exhorted  him,  on  tlie  contrary,  to  contemplate  that  course 
that  was  calculated  to  promote  peace,  unity,  and  love  to  one 
anotlier;  and  that  Irenaeus,  in  writing  to  Victor  on  ll)e  subject, 
amonjst  other  things  observed,  that  "  the  very  difference  of 
their  fasting  establislied  the  unanimity  of  their  failh,  and  that 
when  the  blessed  Polycarp  went  to  Rome,  in  the  time  of  Ani- 
cetus,  he  could  not  persuade  him  to  observe  the  fast  in  qtiestion, 
nor  could  Anicelus  persuade  Polycarp  not  to  observe  it, — and 
yet,  tiiat  the}'  not  only  communed  with  each  other,  but  separ- 
ated in  peace.  (See  p.  207  to  211.)  Whence,  the  policy  of 
the  clergy  becomes  manifest, — namely,  it  is,  in  the  first  place, 
to  exhibit  their  decrees  as  ihoutih  ihey  were  altogether  harmless 
and  inoffensive — as  thougli  they  were  nothing  more  than  simple 
recommendations,  which  the  people  might  submit  to  or  reject 


346"  First  lalrodudion  Harmless,  &c — Caligula.  £E.  Art.  4. 


with  impunity;  but,  in  the  second  place,  just  in  proportion  as 
llie  people  slioiihl  subniil  to  them,  to  ciiforce  them  will)  the  iron 
rod  of  authority  !  As  it  is  written  in  David,  "  They  lie  in  wait 
secreily  as  a  lion  in  his  den,  to  catch  the  poor :  they  catch  the 
j)oor  when  they  draw  tliein  iiuo  their  net.  They  crouch  atid 
liumble  themselves  so  that  the  poor  may  fall  into  their  strong 
parts."     (Ps.  X.  9,  10.) 

2GS.  Imperial  tyrants  never  entertain  a  single  doubt  of  the 
immense  superioritv  of  their  own  judgment,  and  therefore  make 
it  the  great  object  of  reformation  to  remove  as  far  as  possible 
every  obstruction  to  the  execution  of  the  counsel  of  llieir  own 
will ;  holding  iii  contempt  the  divine  maxim  of  Plato,  they  con- 
sider the  state  inade  for  themselves,  not  themselves  lor  the  state. 
(Brown,  Phil.  v.  2,  p.  419.)  And,  correspondently,  is  the  case 
in  all  things  with  ecclesiastical  tyrants  ;  for  they  too,  eiileriaining 
not  a  single  doubt  of  the  immi  nse  superiority  of  their  Oivn  judg- 
ments, make  it  their  great  object, — while  they  ciy  Keforma- 
lion  ! — to  remove  as  far  as  possible,  first,  by  harmless  recom- 
incndations,  and  then  by  compulsion,  every  obstruction  to  the 
execution  of  the  counsel  of  their  own  will;  and,  after  the  man- 
ner of  the  imperialist  noticed,  holding  in  contempt  the  divine 
maxims,  not  of  Plato  indeed,  but  of  the  Lord  himself,  they 
consider  the  churcli  made  for  themselves,  not  themselves  for  the 
<-liurch  !  Alas  !  when  will  men  take  into  due  consideration, 
that  the  true  liberty  of  the  subject  consists  not  so  much  in  the 
gracious  disposition  and  behavior  of  the  sovereign,  as  in  his 
limited  power.    (See  lilackstone,  v.  4,  p.  433.) 

2G9.  Caius  Caligula,  afierihe  people  had  voluntarily  bowed 
to  his  images,  by  submitting  to  their  being  set  up  in  some  places, 
immediatdy  began  to  creel  them  by  absolute  command,  and 
acc<)rdingl3'  gave  commandment,  that  his  image  should  be  set 
\ip  in  the  icnipie  of  God  at  Jerusalem  ;  and,  that  the  temple 
itsi  If  sliouUl  be  public  ly  called  The  Temple  of  Caius  tub 
VISIBLE  [gotl]  Jutiti.k!  (Eusoh.  p.  56.)  And  who  knows 
not,  that  ecclesiastical  tyr.mts  fulfill  the  measure  of  the  madness 
of  mad  (^'aligiila,  when  they  go  about  in  council  or  convention, 
first  by  the  way  of  recommendulorij  luivs,  and  second  by  the 
way  of  com pulsory  laws,  to  erect  and  establish  images  of  them- 
selves, namely,  their  false  persuasions,  originati/ii(  in  princi- 
jilfs  self  conceived  and  broiifrfd  forth,  and  of  the  fashion  of 
ti'hich  theij  are  self-persuaded?  (A.  C.  5^*0.)  Concerning  tliis 
same  subject,  Ci illespic  ob.-erves,  that  "  images  [^self-concepiions, 
eelf-persuasions  or  ecclesiastic  d  laws  of  tlie  clergy]  aie,  com- 
paratively, like  a  base  born  fellow  who,  at  first,  can  gel  no 


Note  F.]       The  Laws  of  Order  of  the  Church.  347 


crrdit  to  set  liis  head  within  the  king's  palace,  but  afterwards 
gelteth  by  degrees  into  ihe  outer  court,  and  in  tlie  end,  his 
credit  increaseih  to  such  degree  as  to  be  received  into  the  king's 
bed- chamber !  " 

But  (or  more  concerning  the  beginning,  progress  and  result, 
of  ecclesiastical  legislation  in  the  church,  and  thence  of  the 
truth  of  the  proposiiion  under  consideration,  see  n.  216,  and 
those  which  follow  it  throughout. 


NOTE  F— ARTICLE  5. 

Concerning  the  laws  of  order  according  to  which  the  Lord  has 
established  his  church. 

270.  In  U.  T.  55,  we  arc  essenlinlly  taught,  that  kingdoms, 
republics,  etc.  are  established  by  laws  which  make  the  order, 
and  thus  the  form  of  their  government;  and  by  H.  D.  223,  that 
the  laws  here  spoken  of  are  to  be  enacted  by  men  ;  whence,  it 
becomes  evident,  that  there  may  be  as  many  orders,  and  thus 
forms  of  civil  gnvernment.  as  there  are  species  of  laws  suscep- 
tible of  being  enacted  by  different  legislative  bodies  throughout 
the  gh-be.  But  the  case  is  aiiogether  different  as  it  regards  the 
church  ;  for,  in  the  same  place  we  are  also  taught,  that  as  it 
concerns  the  order  according  to  whicli  the  church  is  established 
nv  God.  it  is  this,  that  (Jod,  who  is  divine  love  and  wisdom 
itself,  is  in  all  and  every  part  of  that  order ;  seeing  that  the  laws 
tiiereof  are  as  many  as  there  are  trutlis  in  the  Word,  Blind, 
then,  must  he  be  who  is  unable  to  behold,  that  the  laws  of  the 
oriler  or  government  of  the  church,  so  far  from  being  such  as 
are  enacted  by  leiiisiaiive  bodies  of  men,  whether  of  the  clergy 
or  laity,  are  nil  already  enacted  in  tlie  heavenly  code,  the  book 
of  God — ftdl  and  perfect  to  the  converting  of  the  soul  !  The 
orders  and  forms  of  civil  governments  may  indeed  be  various, 
in.asmuch  as  the  l  iws  of  order  from  which  they  have  their  exis- 
tence may  be  various  ;  but  ll-.e  order  of  ecclesiastical  or  clmreh 
government,  as  far  as  it  regards  the  true  church,  must  of  neces- 
sity he  one  and  invari.ibic — inasmuch  as  the  Lord  alone  is  the 
Lawgiver  of  that  church  ;  and,  consequenily,  the  laws  of  order 
from  which  she  exists,  as  such,  are  none  other  than  the  invaria- 
ble truths  of  the  Word. 

271.  In  the  book  of  i'xoirus  (xx.  25,)  it  is  seen,  that  the  sons 
of  Israel  were  forbidden  to  lift  their  tool  upon  llie  stones  of  the 
altar,  on  which  to  worship  tlie  Lord,  lest  they  shotild  pollute  it. 
Whence,  it  is  j'lstly  concluded,  that  when  men  lift  or  elevate 


348  The  Laws  of  Church  Order  invariable.       [Art.  5. 


the  iron  tool  of  their  own  reason  to  hew  out  new  laws  of  order 
for  the  church,  tlien  it  is  tliai  her  laws  are  corrupt  and  polluted, 
then  it  is  that  the  true  order,  of  the  church  is  perverted,  and  God 
not  ill  all  and  every  part  of  it:  and  then  it  is,  that  tlie  order 
according  to  which  God  has  established  the  church, — from 
spiritual  falls  down  to  natural,  because  flowing  from  natursl 
laws  hewn  out  from  the  Word,  or  elsewhere  acording  to  the 
natural  ingenuity  of  man.  I'o  wliieh  add,  that  the  consequence 
of  such  falling  down  or  falling  off  in  the  church,  is  that  she — 
retaining  the  name,  (as  an  incontinent  woman  retains  the  name 
of  her  husband,)  nevertheless  becomes  a  natural,  eartlily  and 
civil  government,  like  any  other ;  and  thence  susceptible  of 
assuming  as  many  different  orders  or  forms  as  there  may  ever 
be  of  different  bodies  of  ecclesiastical  legislators — thus  of  as 
many  orders  and  forms  as  Solomon  had  concubines  ! 

272.  In  U.  T.  74,  we  are  essentiiiUy  taught,  that  God  by  his 
own  omnipotence  established  the  church,  and  revealed  the  laws 
of  her  order  in  the  Word  ;  and  that,  when  it  fell  from  the  laws 
of  her  order.  He  re-esiablislied  it — not  by  means  of  the  clcrs^y 
or  their  traditions  and  commandments — but  by  coming  down 
in  humanity  to  teach  tiie  church  and  world,  by  his  own  example, 
how  to  live  according  to  the  laws  of  ord^r  already  laid  down  in 
the  code  of  heaven  ;  and  to  teach  the  church  that  "the  scribes 
and  p/iarisees  sit  in  Moses's  seat ;  "  that  is,  that  they  exalt 
themselves  to  such  an  arrogant  height  as  to  take  the  place  of 
Moses  and  give  laws  to  the  church  !  but,  nevertheless,  that  they 
make  void  the  law  of  God  by  their  traditions  and  command- 
ments. To  which  let  it  be  added,  that  when  the  apostolic  church 
fell  from  the  laws  laid  down  in  the  Word,  by  looking  up  to  laiv- 
givers  who  had  not  merely  usurped  the  seat  of  Moses,  but  even 
that  of  the  Lord  himself,  it  was  not  re-established  in  the  form 
of  the  Lord's  New  Church,  by  means  of  «  lawgiver  being  pro- 
vided giving  laws  to  (he  clergi/  as  well  as  (he  laily  ;  especially 
seeing,  that  by  means  of  lawgivers  she  had  already  been  estab- 
lished and  re-estahliahcd  to  sullocalion  and  insanity;  but  by  the 
Lord's  second  adve7}(,  through  the  instrumentality  of  iiis  ser- 
vant E.  SwKDEXBOtiG  —  not  as  a  neiv  laivgivcr — but  as  the  in- 
terpreter of  the  laws  of  order  already  laiti  down;  and,  from 
which  interpretation  we  lenrn,  as  has  been  often  staled  before, 
and  which  should  he  had  in  eternal  remembrance,  that  (he  l((u:s 
of  order  according  lo  irhich  (he  (rac  church  of  (he  Lord  is 
es(ablished,  AKE  AS  MANY  AS  THERE  ARE  TRUTHS 
IN  THE  WORD. 


Note  G.]    The  Church  Re- established  to  Insanity. 


349 


NOTE  G— ARTICLE  6. 

Concerning  the  operation  of  the  order  of  disorder,  as  referred 
to  the  church. 

273.  By  the  order  of  disorder,  nothing  more  is  meant  than 
that  order  or  system  of  government,  or  rather  of  domination,  in 
the  cliurch,  which  necessarily  results  from  the  operation  of 
human  reason,  actuated  by  the  love  of  self  and  lust  of  dominion  ; 
the  tendency  and  deiermination  of  which,  is  to  the  promotion 
and  establishment  of  tliose  principles  from  which  it  flows — by 
means  of  ecclesiastical  laws  of  men's  devisinjr.  Such  being 
the  case,  the  baneful  tendencies  of  the  order  of  disorder  may  be 
sufficiently  contemplated  in  the  preceding  sections  wherever 
ecclesiastical  laws  are  treated  of,  and  in  a  pamphlet  ptiblished  by 
me,  entitled  ^  Review  of  a  Sermon  by  T.  O.  Prescott  on 
Church  Order.    (See  said  sermon  Precursor  v.  3,  p.  161  to  165.) 


NOTE  H— ARTICLE  7. 

Concerning  the  operation  of  the  order  of  Divine  order,  as 
referred  to  the  church. 

274.  By  the  order  of  Divine  Order,  is  meant  that  order  or 
system  of  government,  or  r;ither  fellowship  in  the  church, 
which  necessarily  flows  from  the  operation  of  intelligence, 
actuated  by  love  to  the  Lord  and  charity  towards  the  neighbor; 
the  tendency  and  determination  of  which  is  to  the  promotion 
and  establishment  of  those  principles  from  which  it  flows,  by 
means  of  do-ely  adhering  to  the  laws  of  Divine  Order  laid 
down  in  the  Word. 

275.  The  order  of  Divine  Order  may  be  said  to  make  one 
with  "  the  first  and  last  law  of  society  on  earth  as  well  as  in 
heaven,''''  and  concerning  society,  in  accordance  with  such  law, 
Swedenborg  teaches,  that  eafh  member  will  legard  his  neighbor 
as  himself,  and  all  the  individuals  of  his  society  as  so  many 
selves,  and  God  more  than  himself — to  whose  guidance  and 
government  he  will  submit  himself  from  a  pure  piinciple  of 
love;"  that,  in  such  society,  no  one  will  ever  attempt  to  super- 
add any  thing  in  the  shape  of  law  or  order  from  his  own  pro- 
prium,  as  if  to  out-do  his  fellow  members,  (the  laws  of  society 
being  none  other  than  the  laws  of  Divine  Order)  much  less 

WILL  O.VE   BF,  FOR  EXALTING  HIMSELF  ABOVE  THE  REST  ;  "  and, 

30 


350  Operation  of  the  order  of  Divine  Order.      [Art.  7. 


that  "it  is  of  essential  order,  that,  were  one  member  to  aim  at 
the  pre-eminence,  or  to  obtain  superioiiiy  over  liis  fellows,  he 
toouhl  thence  become  eccentric,  quit  his  proper  sphere,  and 
produce  a  total  destruction  of  the  equilibrium.'"  (See  H.  Key- 
Exam.  12.)  Thus  we  find,  ilial  SwecK'iiborg  is  in  perfect  har- 
mony wiih  Paul,  where  he  teaches  tliat  it  is  from  the  liead, 
[Christ]  that  the  whole  body — fitly  joined  together,  and  com- 
pacted by  tliat  which  every  member  supplieih — according  lo 
the  eliectiial  worUin-f  of  the  head  in  the  measure  of  every  mem- 
ber,— maketli  increase  of  the  b.uly  unto  tlie  edifying  of  itself  in 
love.  (See  Eph.  4  c.)  And,  in  agreement  with  both, 
it  is  justly  concluJe  i,  tlial  it  is  of  the  ord  T  of  Divine 
Order,  or  what  is  tlie  same  thing,  of  the  first  and  last 
law  of  society,  that,  "  when  a  member  exalts  himself  above  liis 
fellow  members,  lie  thereby  usur[)s  the  place  of  the  head  ;  tlius 
breaks  tlie  unity  of  the  body  which  s'<inds  only  in  the  unity  of 
the  head  ;  and  consequently  also,  that  where  a  member,  in  a 
single  or  coir.bined  unity,  sets  himself  above  others,  thence  to 
give  law.5  to  such  as  are  every  way  his  equals,  he  not  oi.ly  ad- 
vances hims;  li'as  anol'icr  head  besivles  Christ,  but  becomes,  lo 
all  intents  and  [uirposes,  an  Antichrist !  "  [See  note  2  v,  art. 
23,  and  n.  138  to  150,  and  many  other  places.} 


NOTE  1— ARTICLE  8. 

Concerning  charily,  as  being  the  essential  of  the  church. 

576.  'J"he  men  of  ilic  old  church  seem  lo  Iiave  forgotten, 
tliat,  when  cliarily  is  made  the  essential,  difl'erences  in  doctrin- 
als  of  faith  will  soon  become  unimportant.  [See  A  C.  1285, 
1316,  2385,2853,2932,3267,  3445,3151,3152,  and  many 
other  places.)  If  New  Church  men  were  to  keep  this  truth 
steadily  in  view,  they  C(.uld  never  fail  of  knowing,  that  none, 
excepting  those  who  are  tinctured  with  tiie  spirit  of  Cain,  will 
ever  attempt  lo  make  dillerenccs  of  faith  important  much  less 
essential.  In  such  case  they  might  at  all  times  see  plainly, 
that  none  but  such  as  are  under  the  influence  of  the  love  of  self 
and  lust  of  dominion  cmiid  possibly  attempt  lo  auihoriiaiively 
establish  (by  conventional  laws)  articles  of  failii,  concerning 
which  tiieir  brethren  may  and  do  differ,  and  mucdi  less  would 
they  ever  ihink  of  annexing  penalties  to  their  laws  in  the  shape 
of  censures,  threats  or  excoinmuiiiration,  for  is  it  not  manifest 
that  to  do  this  is  nothing  less  than  lo  make  differences  of  faith 
important,  just  in  proportion  lo  the  penalty  annexed  to  the 
breach  of  difFering;  and,  onsequently,  where  the  penalty  is 


Note  I.J        Lhariiy  the  Essenliut  of  Ihe  Cliurch. 


351 


made  to  be  excommunication,  the  difference  of  faith  must  of 
necessity  be  miuie  essentud  to  ndlvution  !  ^ 

277.  'I'hal  some,  claiming  to  be  of  liie  oleigy  of  tlie  New 
Church,  have  attempted  to  make  various  diflerenccs  ol' faiih  not 
only  important  but  essentia/,  by  going  about  to  get  them 
estal)lishecl  by  means  of  convention  il  jaws,  and  by  evea 
calling  them  essential,  is  not  to  be  doubted  by  any  man 
conversant  in  the  annals  of  liie  New  Church,  li  is  not  to  be 
doubted  that  men,  claiming  to  be  of  the  clergy  of  the  Lord's 
New  Church,  strove  hard,  in  defijincc  of  the  Word,  (see  n.  217) 
and  in  defiance  of  the  dead  carcase  of  the  old  church  staring 
them  in  the  face,  to  gel  ihc  diflereiices  of  faith  which  here  follow 
established,  as  so  many  essentials,  by  means  of  ecclesiastical 
statutes  of  tiieir  own  devising,  namely — 

(I.)  That  tliere  are  three  discrete  degrees  of  outward  grade 
or  (lignifieatii)n  in  the  ministry  of  ihe  New  Cliurch. 

(2.)  'I'hat  the  authority,  iuHuence,  and  power,  to  teach  the 
laity  is  from  the  Lord  immediately  and  not  from  the  Lord 
mediately  through  the  laity. 

(3.)  That  although  it  was  once  agreeably  to  the  Divine  Order 
for  the  church  to  originate  her  ministry,  yet  it  is  not  so  now, 
[meaning  that  the  order  now  is  through  the  succession.] 

(4.)  That  the  power  and  authority  claimed  to  be  ecclesiastical 
have  been  voluntarily  relinquished  to  the  clergy  by  a /oj'ma/ acf. 

(5.)  That  the  primates  of  the  clergy  possess  the  power  and 
authority  to  judge  and  determine  as  to  the  fitness  or  unfitness  qf 
candidates  for  the  ministry  of  the  New  Church. 

(6.)  That  a  cantlidate  for  the  ministry  shall  possess  a  good 
moral  character,  the  goodness  thereof  to  be  measured  by  the 
clerical  standard,  and  shall  be  able  to  preach  acceptably  to  the 
primates  or  heads  of  the  clergy  ,  and  shall  also  have  received 
the  outward  rites  of  baptism  and  the  Holy  Supper  at  the  hand^ 
of  the  clergy. 

(7.)  That  the  foregoing  articles  of  faith  shall  be  regarded  as 
ESSENTIAL,  and  concerning  which  there  ought  to  be  no 
DIFFERENCE  in  the  understanding  of  those  who  regard  them- 
selves as  New  Churchmen  !  that  they  form  a  plane  sufficiently 
broad  for  all  to  stand  upon ;  and  that  therefore  they  are  the 

ESSENTIAL  PRINCIPLES   WHICH    FORM   THE   FAITH   OF   THE  NeW 

Church  !    (Compare  Pre.  v,  2,  p.  322,  308,  '10.) 

278.  How  then  stands  the  slate  of  the  controversy  between 
Swedenborg  and  ihe  clergy  above  alluded  to  ?  Is  it  not  thus  : 
the  former  says,  charity  being  essential,  differences  in  things  of 
faith  are  unimportant  and  non-essential,  and  the  latter,  that 
various  differences  or  articles  of  faith,  which  themselves  have 


352  The  Birthright  Deleguled for  Pottage.  [Art.?. 


devised  and  prescribed,  are  essemi;d,  nay  so  much  so,  that  he 
who  differs  in  regard  to  them  is  not  a  New  Church  man?  But 
because  we  believe  what  Swedenborg  teaches  to  be  true,  we 
must  of  necessity  believe  that  what  the  clergy  say  of  their 
dogmas  is  utterly  false  and  not  to  be  credited  ;  and  that  if  their 
dogmas  are  indeed  essential,  it  is  only  becnnse  they  are  the  very 
essence  of  solifidianism,  and  of  that  which  supports  the  dragon 
in  maintaining  his  post  before  the  woman.  Swedenborg  in- 
forms us,  that  he  once  heard  ceitain  heads  of  the  clergy  consult- 
ing about  a  doctrine  which  was  to  be  a  law  to  the  laity,  and  that 
it  consisted  of  many  articles  [or  differences]  of  faiih,  but  that 
they  all  tended  to  one  thing,  namely,  fraudulent  dominion,  etc. 
and  that  it  was  given  him  to  know,  that  the  articles  in  question 
were  all  dictated  in  the  deepest  hell.  But,  in  relation  to  which, 
it  is  only  necessary  lo  say,  that  he  who  seeks  shall  not  fail  to 
find,  that  tiie  articles  noticed  in  the  preceding  number  all  tend 
in  the  very  same  direction  from  whatever  source  they  may  have 
sprung. 

279.  Who  knows  not  that  the  power  to  establish  differences 
of  faith  as  essentials,  is  a  usurped  power  originating  in  the  lust 
of  dominion,  (see  n.  234)  wliether  exercised  at  Rome,  New 
York,  Philadelphia,  or  Cincinnati  ?  But,  however  Catholics  or 
Protestants  (so  called)  may  have  yielded  implicit  obedience  or 
may  have  kept  their  understanding  under  obedience  to  the  differ- 
ences of  faith  made  essential  by  the  clergy  is  not  the  question 
now  ;  for,  it  is  rather  this,  can  a  New  Church  man  sell  or  give 
away  the  birthright  of  his  faith  ?  Will  he  for  a  pot  of  pottage 
delegate  to  any  man  or  body  of  men  whatever  power  and  auliiority 
to  exercise  dominion  over  his  faith?  Can  he  authorize  any  body 
of  men  whatever,  to  make  any  article  of  faith  essential,  so  that 
liis  differing  with  respect  to  it  shall  cut  him  off  from  communion 
and  fellowsiiip  with  the  New  CInirch  of  tl;e  Lord?  I  tell  you, 
my  friend  and  brother,  his  genius  forl)ids  it;  it  forbids  him  to 
strike  iiands  with  the  pricsl-ridden  Catholics  and  Protestants, 
whose  thoughts  in  relation  to  faith  may  be  likened  tq  the  flit- 
tings  of  a  bat  in  a  cellar,  and  it  prompts  him  to  freedom,  the 
freedom  of  the  Lord's  free  man!  So  that,  instead  of  the  bat 
in  the  region  of  darkness,  he  is  rather  like  the  eagle  lowering 
aloft  in  the  regions  of  daylight,  and  wiiich,  from  the  strength  of 
his  eye,  it  is  said  can  even  look  at  the  stin  himself! 

280.  Swedenborg  teaches,  that  "charity  is  willing  to  abide 
with  faith,  but  that  it  cannot  abide  when  faith  wishes  to  rule 
over  it ;  that  for  faith  to  rule  is  contrary  lo  order,  for  charity  is 
the  principal  of  faith,  and  faith  only  becomes  faitii  when  charity 
rules;  "  and  that  "  charity  is  as  flame,  but  faith  separate  is  as 


Note  K.] 


Charity  the  Essential. 


353 


llie  light  of  llie  flame  uitliout  heat,  as  in  winter  when  every 
thing  grows  torpid  and  dies."  (A.  C.  365.)  Again,  tliey  who 
lea<l  the  flock  to  tfie  good  of  charily  are  they  who  gather  the 
flock,  but  they  who  lead  otiierwise  disperse  it;  for  all  gailiering 
together  and  union  are  from  charity,  but  all  dispersion  and  dis- 
union come  from  making  the  things  of  faith  primary  and  essen- 
tial !  Of  what  profit  then  is  science,  knowledge  or  faith,  but  in 
so  far  as  it  teaches  cli-irity  as  the  primary  and  essential  thing  ? 
(Maik  xii.  28  to  35,  and  Matt,  xxii.  34  to  39.)  If  charily  be 
not  the  end  of  all  the  things  of  faith,  then  what  are  sciences, 
knowledges  and  the  doctrinals  of  faiih,  but  solemn  nothings! 
(See  A.  C,  343,  344.)  And  again,  the  man  of  the  iniernal 
church  makes  the  worship  of  the  Lord  from  charily,  and  internal 
worship  the  essential  of  the  church  ;  but  the  man  of  ihe  external 
church  makes  external  worship  essential,  being  ignorant  of  what 
internal  worship  is."  Tlie  I'ormer  feels  as  if  lie  acts  contrary 
to  conscience  if  he  does  not  worship  t!ie  Lord  from  the  internal, 
but  the  latter  if  lie  does  not  observe  external  rites  and  keep  them 
holy.  The  conscience  of  the  former  is  more  abuiidanlly  stored 
than  that  of  the  latter,  from  being  more  acquainted  with  the 
internal  sense  of  the  Word  ;  the  former  is  called  Shem,  and  the 
latter,  if  he  lives  in  mutual  charity  with  his  brethren,  is  called 
Japheth.  But  if  he  is  so  devoid  of  charity  as  to  seek  to  impose 
external  things  on  others  as  essential,  he  is  called  Canaan.  (A. 
C.  1098.)  Nevertheless,  God  shall  illustrate  Jupheth,  and  he 
shall  dwell  in  the  tents  of  Shem."  For,  "  when  a  man  feels  or 
perceives  in  himself,  that  he  is  well  aflected  towards  the  Lord 
and  towards  his  neighbor,  and  not  with  any  view  to  his  own 
interest  or  honor,  fe-els  compassion  for  those  who  are  in  distress, 
from  the  irou  rod  of  oppression, — and  especially  for  those  who 
are  in  error  as  to  the  doctrines  of  faith,  he  may  tlien  know  tliat 
he  dwells  in  the  tents  of  Shem,  that  is,  that  he  has  with  him 
thiegs  jnternal — \ea  charily  itself,  by  which  the  Lord  operates. 
(A.  C.  1102.)  But  to  fuHy  show  that  charity  i<  the  essential  of 
the  church  and  kingdom  of  the  Lord,  whether  on  earth  or  in 
lieaven,  were  to  transcribe  almost  one  half  of  all  that  Sweden- 
borg  published  for  the  benefit  of  the  New  Church. 

NOTE  K— ARTICLE  9. 

Concerning  each  member,  sorie'y  or  convention  of  the  church, 
maintaining  his  or  its  distinctive  variety  and  form. 

281.  To  know  the  annals  of  the  church,  is  to  know  that  the 
bl  ml  guides  thereof  have  ever  treated  with  contempt  the  idea  of 
ihat  variety  in  her  members  which  necessarilv  results  from 
80* 


354         Within  the  precincts  of  thcJiowling  dens.   [Note  K. 


perfect  freedom  in  spiritual  things,  and  thence  in  going,  eacli 
for  himself,  to  the  VVord  of  the  Lord,  the  common  slock,  to 
draw  his  own  task  according  to  his  own  distinctive  function  and 
necessity.  And,  thnt  such  is  the  case  is  evidenr  from  all  that 
grievousness,  whether  in  the  form  of  orthodoxy  or  tmi/orinity, 
which  they,  from  lime  to  time,  iiave  enacted  and  established  by 
conventional  laws,  especially  seeing  that  the  inevitable  tendoncy 
of  all  which  has  been  ever  to  destroy  every  thing,  of  which 
variety  mid  distinctness  of  form,  whether  in  members  or 
societies,  could  possibly  be  predicated. 

282.  It  should  also  be  known,  Uial  there  are  some  who,  hav- 
ing received  th.e  influx  of  the  light  of  the  New  Dispensation  in 
a  partial  degree,  have  thence  been  enabled  to  speak  wisely  of 
vaiiety  or  distinctiveness  of  form  as  it  regards  inilividual  mem- 
bers and  societies  of  the  New  Church.  Nay,  to  compare  it  to 
the  beauty  of  a  garden  heightened  by  the  variety  of  colors  and 
the  orderly  arrangements  of  the  jilants  and floioers  composing 
it,  and  to  the  pans  of  the  human  body,  which,  althougli  of 
various  forms  and  functions,  nevertheless  all  lend  to  ihe  har- 
mony and  beauty  of  the  whole  man.  But  it  should  also  be 
known,  that  these  same  men,  yet  remaining  within  tiie  precincts 
of  ihe  howling  dens  of  Babylon,  at  the  same  time  that  tiiey 
speak  as  just  noticed,  do  also  liold  forth  essentially,  that  the 
perfection  uf  the  whole  church  depends  upon  the  variety  of  indi- 
vidual members  and  societies  composing  it, — only  on  condition, 
that  each  acts  in  dite  subordination  to  the  whole  ;  that  "  organ- 
izing ourselves,  etc."  and  "  assuming  legislative  powers, 
etc"—"  We  shall  be  enabled  to  ENACT  LAWS  adapted  to 
the  states  and  necessities  of  the  West;  "  and,  that  "  the  mea- 
sures introduced  for  conventional  [ecclesiastical]  action  shoidd 
be  such,'''  etc.,  and  '•  should  be  presented  in  the  form  of  recom- 
mendations until  the  whole  church  can  participate  by  her  del- 
egates in  the  enactment  of  those  laws  ivhich  they  are  required 
to  obey!  "    [Compare  Pre.  v.  2,  p.  9,  10,  11.] 

283.  To  what  then  may  that  variety  amongst  the  members 
and  societies  of  the  church  which  the  clergy  have  in  view  be 
compared  ;  seeing  they  at  ihe  same  time,  insanely  talk  of  assum- 
ing legislative  powers,  of  enacting  laws  for  the  churcli,  first  in 
the  form  of  recommendations,  and  next  in  the  form  of  laws 
which  all  must  obey  ?  Is  it  any  other,  comparatively,  than  the 
variety  of  parrots  and  magpies  in  Cdgcs,  whicli  chatirr  forth  the 
nonsense  they  have  been  taught?  Or,  is  it  any  other  than  the 
variety  of  orthodox  hypocrites  who,  when  asked  what  they 
believe  respecting  the  things  of  heaven,  answer  thai  iliey  believe 
wiiat  their  priests  teach,  and  in  all  the  things  of  their  most  holy 
and  orthodox  faiih  which  the  clergy  have  established  by  law  ? 
[See  n.  13.] 


Art.  9.] 


Distinctive  Variety  and  Form. 


355 


284.  From  tliese  considerations,  it  may  justly  be  concluded, 
that  he  who  assumes  legislative  power  in  the  church,  i.ni 
thence  introduces  by  resolution  or  olherwise  any  measure  what- 
ever, involving  a  difference  of  faith — or  that  concerning  whicii 
men  may  honestly  believe  differentlij,  to  the  end  that  it  may  be- 
come enacted  and  established,  and  ihcnce  have  the  force  of  a 
law  in  the  church,  does  nothing  less  than  aim  a  blow  to  the 
destruction  of  variety  and  distinctiveness  of  form  amongst  mem- 
bers and  societies  composing  the  chuich,  and  arm  himself  with 
the  club  of  Cain  wherewith  to  kill  Abel  his  innocent  brolher. 
(See  281,  282,  283.) 

285.  The  wise  perceive  clearly,  but  the  less  wise  obscurely, 
that  a  form  is  so  much  the  more  perfect  as  the  tilings  which 
maUe  it  are  distinctly  otiier  but  still  united  in  a  onefold  manner; 
and  that  the  more  distinctly  any  one  is  his  own  and  thus  free  to 
love  his  consociaies  from  his  own  aflection,  the  more  perfect  is  the 
form  of  the  society  ;  and  especially,  seeing  in  such  case,  tliat 
the  members  of  society  answer  to  the  tilings  wliicli  are  in 
man  where  innumerable  things  are  distinct  and  yet  united;  dis- 
tinct by  coverings,  and  united  by  ligaments,  and  where,  because 
the  form  is  perfect,  all  the  members  thereof  mutually  regard 
each  other  as  link  does  link  in  a  chain.  (D.  P.  4.)  Variety  in 
the  worship  of  the  Lord  does  not  bring  harm,  hue  it  brings  ad- 
vantage ;  for  the  perfection  of  heaven  is  thence.  Where  the 
principle  of  union  [charily]  abounds,  differences  and  varieties 
of  opini m  only  exalt  and  make  manifest  the  unity  of  faith. 
Heaven  itself  is  a  whole  from  various  things  arranged  into  a 
most  perfect  form  ;  r  nd  all  perfection  of  form  is  thence — beauty, 
pleasantness,  agreeableness,  etc.  "  in  all  which  variety  is  the 
source  of  delight."  (II.  H.  56.) 

286.  Who  knows  not,  that  it  is  in  accordance  with  the  ol- 
der of  God,  that  there  never  should  be  two  receivers  of  the 
trutli  whose  reception  and  reflection  thence  will  be  preciselv  the 
same!  and,  consequently,  thai  all  are  loudly  admonished  never 
to  indulge  an  excommunicating  spirit  towards  such  of  our  bietli- 
ren  as  reflect  and  exhibit  the  truth  in  shades  and  colors  differ- 
ent from  those  in  our  own  minds  ?  No  man  would  say  liiat, 
because  the  members  of  the  natural  body  are  different,  and  per- 
form different  functions,  from  their  receiving  the  influx  of  life 
differently  from  the  heart — tiie  fountain  of  life  alike  to  all — they 
were,  for  that  reason,  in  opposition  and  hostility  to  each  other; 
inasmuch  as  it  is  manifest  to  all,  that  their  ilifferences  and  vari- 
eties only  conspire  to  harmony  and  unity  of  act  m  the  whole. 
Why,  then,  should  the  left  hand  member  of  the  church — ihe 
body  of  the  Lord — put  fortli  his  prescriptive  or  legislative  finger 


556  Israel  subscribes  to  a  declaration  of  Div.  Order.  [Note  L. 


to  direct  the  right  hand  in  the  discharge  of  that  function  which 
the  liead  may  have  directed  to  be  done  by  the  right  hand  alone  ? 
Or  rather,  indeed,  in  such  case,  why  should  the  left  hand  know 
what  the  riglit  hand  doeth  ? 

287.  Although  every  member  of  the  church  receives  tlie  di- 
vine influx  from  the  Lord — the  common  stock,  vine,  or  head,  in 
accordance  with  his  own  organization,  form,  and  function,  and 
not  in  accordance  with  that  of  another,  yet  his  recrpdon  and 
reflexion  thence,  however  peculiar  to  himself,  can  never  be  in 
opposition  to  that  of  another  member  under  the  influence  of,  and 
in  obedience  to  the  same  head.  Whence  it  results,  that  it  is  not 
given  to  the  members  of  the  Lord's  body,  to  judge  of  a  fellow 
m€i^iber  who  reflects  the  truth  peculiarly  to  himself,  and  tlience 
condemn  him,  as  being  under  the  influence  of  the  spirit  of  pride, 
of  faction,  or  of  any  other  evil  spirit;  for,  where  judging  of 
ejiirils,  from  such  or  similar  cruises  prevails,  and  is  countenanc- 
ed— there  the  church  must  of  nnressity  become  extinct — there 
it  is  that  faitli  is  set  above  cliarilj- — tht-ie  it  is  that  Cain  rises 
up  in  the  field  and  spills  the  blood  of  innocent  Abel  ! 


NOTE  L.— ARTICLE  10. 

Concerning  the  use  of  subscribing  to  a  declaration  or  mani- 
festo of  Divine  Order, 

288.  By  the  use  of  subscribing  here  spoken  of  is  essentially 
intended  the  i.se,  and  llience  the  good  resulting  to  the  man  of  tlie 
church,  from  his  discarding  the  ecclesiastical  statutes  of  men — the 
laws  of  disorder,  and  taking  hold  of  the  everlasting  covenant  of 
the  Lord,  and  adjoining  himself  to  the  laws  of  divine  order  there- 
in contained.  This  is,  what  it  is,  for  One  to  say  "I  am  the 
liOrd's  ;"  to  call  himself  by  the  n  ime  of  Jacob  ;  and  to  sub- 
scRiDE  WITH  uis  iiAXD  UNTO  THE  LoRD, — and  at  the  same  time 
to  surname  him^e/f  bij  tlie  name  of  Israel.  This  is  what  it  is, 
to  acknowledge  the  Lord  of  Hosts,  [truths,^  the  first  and  the 
last — besides  whom  there  is  no  God; — and  this  is  what  it  is, 
to  acknowledge  tliat  it  is  Goil  alone  who  sets  tlie  church  in  or- 
der for  himsell, — that  stretches  foiih  the  heavens  alone,  and 
spieads  abroad  the  earth  by  himself;  and  that  f. ustraleih  the 
tokens  of  liars.    (Isa.  44  :  5,  6,  7,  24,  25.) 

2^9.  Nevertheless,  the  sons  of  Israel,  after  being  returned 
from  Babylonish  captivity,  and,  after  making  a  Declaration  of 
Divine  Order,  consisting  of  many  or/tc/es,  on  the  twenty-fourth 
-of  the  seventh  month,  conclude  as  follows;  "  And,  because  of 


Art.  10.]  Non-separation  from  the  people  of  the  lands.  357 


all  this,  we  make  a  sure  declaration* -^wd  write  i7;  and  our 
princes,  Levites,  and  priests  are  at  the  sealinj»" — i,  e.,  seal  or 
subscribe  unto  it.  (See  Neh.  9lh  cli.)  And  shall  not  those  who 
have  escaped  the  captivity  of  Mi/stery  Babylon — the  Mother 
of  Harlots  and  Jlbominations  of  the  Earth — make  a  corres- 
ponding declaration  or  manifesto  ;  write  it;  and  subscribe  or 
seal  unto  it?  • 

290.  It  is  worthy  of  remark,  that,  of  the  sons  and  daucrhters 
oflsrael,  (after  their  return  from  captivity,)  all  that  had  hioio- 
ledge  and  understanding  signed  and  sealed  the  declaration  in 
question — the  tenor  of  which  appears  evidently  to  be,  that,  sep- 
arating themselves  fiom  the  people  \\\c.  lands,  and  their  laws, 
they  should  join  themselves  to  the  law  of  God,  to  walk  in  it, 
and  to  observe  and  do  all  the  commandments  of  the  Lord  their 
Lord! — and,  that  to  fall  back  from  which  was  to  break  the  bond 
of  conjunction  [oath]  with  him,  and  thence  become  separated, 
[accursed.]  See  Neh.  10,  28,  29.  Whence  it  farther  appears 
manliest,  that  the  object  of  the  declaration  of  the  laws  of  Divine 
Order,  subscribed  to  by  the  sons  of  Israel  was,  that  the  stand- 
ard of  the  law  of  the  Lord  might  be  more  effectually  elevated  in 
opposition  to  the  laws  of  the  people,  under  which  they  had 
groaned  in  captivity. 

291.  These  things  being  duly  considered,  an  important  ques- 
tion arises,  namely,  are  there  any  of  the  inventions  of  the  pro- 
fessed Christians  in  these  days,  in  the  form  of  creeds,  constitu- 
tions, etc.,  whose  real  or  ostensible  object  is,  that  the  laws  of 
Divine  order  might  be  lifted  up,  as  a  standard,  in  opposition  to 
the  laws  of  a  church  order  devised  and  framed  by  men  !  Is 

,  there  any  one  of  such  things  that  purports  to  be  such,  that  he 
who  subscribes  to  it,  having  knowledge  and  understanding,  be- 
comes thence  separated  from  the  laws  of  the  people  of  the  land, 
and  joined  to  the  law  of  the  Lord  alone?  N;iy,  rather,  aie 
any  of  the  inventions  in  question  whose  object  is  other  than  to 
lift  itp  the  standard  of  the  laws  of  men  in  the  church,  and  there 
to  depress  that  which  the  spirit  of  the  Lord,  in  his  servants, 
would  lift  up  against  the  enemy,  pouring  in  like  a  flood  to  carry 
away  the  woman?  [church].  See  Isa.  5,  9,  19,  and  Rev.  12. 
Or,  is  there  indeed  any  one  of  them,  that  purports  to  be  other 
than,  that  he  who  subscribes  to  it  becomes  llience,  like  Epli- 
raim,  joined  to  his  idols  and  thus  separate  and  afar  off  from  tho 
law  of  the  Lord  ? 

292.  Who  knows  not,  that  the  Ref.  clergy  of  Scotland  drew 


•  Fr^ni  (he  context  it  is  ea«jr  to  see, that  declaralion'xs  intended  to  supply 
the  geiise,  rather  than  covenant. 


358 


Subscribers  to  Idols,  Devils,  or  Calves.    [Note  L. 


up  a  declaration  wliicli  tiiny  were  pleased  to  call  \\\e\'c  Nation- 
al Covenant,  and  lo  which  they  not  only  caused  all  to  subscribe, 
from  the  king  on  the  throne  to  the  begirar  on  the  dunghill,  but 
also  to  make  oath  thai  they  would  abide  by  it  all  the  days  of 
their  lives  ^  (See  note  3  x.)  But  concerning  which,  the  ques- 
tion is,  what  was  the  great  object  of  it  ?  Was  it,  that  the  laws 
of  Divine  order  might  be  lighted  up,  as  the  only  standard  in  ilie 
church,  in  opposition  lo  ail  others  set  up  as  standards  there  ? 
Did  it  purport  to  be  a  declaration  of  such  nature,  that  all  who 
subscribed  to  it  should  thence  become  separated  forever  from 
the  statutes  of  ihe  clergy,  and  joined  to  those  of  the  Lord  alone  ? 
By  i:o  means;  for  the  framers  of  it  declired,  that,  after  long 
and  due  examination  of  tlie  ir  consciences  in  matters  of  true  and 
false  religion,  they  had  at  last  became  thoroughly  resolved  in 
the  trutli ;  and  therefore  aflirmed  and  declared  that  the  only  true 
Christian  faitii  and  religion  was  that  received  by  the  kirke 
[church]  of  Scotland,  as  particularly  expressed  in  the  confession 
of  faith,  esiablished  by  sundry  acts  [laws]  of  parliament  and 
that  tliey  abhoried  and  detested  all  contrary  doctrines  and  reli- 
gion !  And,  from  all  which  it  is  evident  that  the  great  object  of 
the  clergy,  by  their  declaration  or  covenant,  was  to  lift  up  iheir 
own  laws,  which  they  had  caused  to  be  established, through  the  in- 
strumentality of  parliament,  as  the  standard  of  truth  for  the  church, 
in  opposition  to  all  others,  and  not  the  laws  of  Divine  order,  in 
opposition  to  the  laws^  by  any  means.  But  again,  the  Reform- 
e<l  clergy,  in  America,  also  drew  up  an  instrumenl  which  they 
were  pleased  to  call  their  Declaration  and  Testimony  ;  but,  in- 
stead of  its  purporting  to  be  a  standard  lifted  up  directing  the 
eyes  of  all  who  should  subscribe  to  it  to  the  laws  of  Divine  Or- 
der laid  in  the  Word,  the  manifest  object,  end,  and  design,  of  it 
is  no  other  than,  that  the  minds  of  the  men  of  the  church  might 
be  directed  to  the  things  contained  within  itself  and  within  the 
Confession  of  Faith;  and,  that  such  is  really  the  case  we  find, 
that  the  clergy  therein  declare,  that  they  testify  against  all  who 
teach,  that  authoritative  confessions  of  faitii  should  be  abolished 
in  church.    (N.  23.3.) 

Whence  other  important  questions  here  arise,  did  all  they 
who  subscribed  and  made  oath  to  such  Covenants,  Declarations, 
and  Testimonies,  thence  declare,  in  the  sight  of  angels  and 
good  men,  that  they  were  t'.ie  Lord's  disciples  ?  Did  they 
th  nee  truly  subscribe  ivith  Ihe  hand  to  the  name  of  the  Lord? 
Or  did  they  thence  tridy  surname  themselves  by  ll>e  name  of  Is- 
rael ?  Nay,  rather,  did  they  not  thence  manifest  themselves  to  be 
none  other  than  Jeroboam' s  disciples — subscribers  lo  his  calves; 
and  of  those  who  surnamed  themselves  by  the  name  of  liaal  ? 


Art.  10] 


Tlie  criterion — ever  memorable. 


359 


293.  But  il  is  remarkable,  and  worthy  of  being  noted,  in  tlie 
book  1)1"  remembrance,  lliat  the  exam|)les  just  noiiced,  in  the  last 
arlicK;  may  justly  be  conceived  of  as  original  specimens,  of 
which  all  tlie  ciiurch  constiiuiious  of  tlie  present  day — forged  out 
by  ihe  clergy  in  council  or  convention — are  none  other  than  the 
fac-siniiles  ;  and,  consequently,  ih.it  there  is  not  one  of  them,  of 
which  il  may  be  said;  that,  if  a  man  subscriber  to  it,  he  thence 
subscribes  with  his  hand  to  the  name  of  the  Lord,  surnames 
liimself  by  the  name  of  Israel,  becomes  the  Lonl's,  and  tworold 
more  the  child  of  heaven  than  he  was  before; — but,  contrari- 
wise, as  stated  in  the  preceding  article.  Is  it  not,  therefore, 
very  strange  that  the  clergy  of  the  present  day  should  lieat  with 
scorn  and  contempt,  him  tliat  has  courage  enough  to  call  in  ques- 
tion their  authority  to  legislate  and  give  laws  to  the  church,  and 
especially  seeing  that  it  is  now  known,  by  thousands,  that  their 
wisest  laws  which  they  have  enacied  for  the  church  are  none 
other  than  fac  similes  of  things  to  which  no  man  can  subscribe, 
vviihout  striking  hands  with,  and  justifying  those  who  anciently 
subscribed  to  the  worship  of  calves  or  devils! — to  the  orthodoxy 
of  Baal  !  and  none  oiher  than  fac  similes  of  the  throne  of  the 
beast,  upon  which  tlie  fifth  vjal  of  the  wrath  of  God  was  poured 
out;  and  which  thence  became  full  of  darkness  ?    (Rev.  16.) 

But  if  this  were  strange,  then  how  passing  strange  is  it, 
namely,  "  While  divine  wisdom  fiom  ihespiritual  world  appears 
to  be  penetrating  the  minds  of  men — while  many  are  running 
to  and  fro,  dissatisfied  with  what  they  see  and  hear — while  they 
are  eiiher  openly  or  silently  condemning  the  creeds  and  formu- 
laries of  sects  and  societies — that  any  one  in  the  New  Church 
should  advocate  precisely  that  course  which  has  heretofore 
filled  the  world  wiih  darkness  and  misery?^'  (See  a  letter 
from  A.  J.  .Cline  to  the  second  preparatory  meeting  of  the 
MidJle  Con.  Journal,  p.  30.) 

294.  Of  the  things  said,  in  relation  to  the  subject  of  sub- 
scribing to  a  Declaration  of  Divine  Order,  this  appears  to  be 
the  sum  or  general  : — that,  although  it  be  utterly  unlawful  for 
men  either  to  devise  laws  of  order  for  the  cliurch,  or  to 
cause  them  to  be  subscribed  to,  so  as  to  be  authoritatively  estab- 
lished i)i  the  c'lurch,  yet  it  is  by  no  means  unlawful  for  men  to 
make  and  subsf  ribe  to  a  manifesto  or  declaration,  in  favor  of 
the  laws  of  Divine  order,  as  being  alone  of  authority  in  the 
church  ;  and,  at  the  same  time,  against  the  exercise  of  any  leg- 
islative power  whatever  by  the  men  of  the  church,  (clergy  or 
laity,)  excepting  so  far  as  may,  in  charity,  be  conceived  ne- 
cessary to  make,  frame,  and  adopt  such  declaration  and  such  re- 
solutions as  are  subservient  thereto,  and  no  farther. 


360 


Old  Bottles  thrown  away. 


CONCLUDING  REMARKS. 

295.  To  you,  my  friendly  reader,  who  have  followed  me 
throughout,  permit  me  to  say,  that  my  subject  must,  in  the  gen- 
eral, be  my  apology  if  in  case  it  should  be  conceived,  that,  in 
this  work,  I  have  in  some  degree,  been  deficient  in  that  suavity 
of  manner  and  terseness  of  style,  expected  in  the  writers  of  this 
age.  The  judicious  reader  will  acknowledge  at  once,  that,  in 
a  work  where  many  knowledges  are  adduced,  and  many  au- 
thorities quoted — not  for  the  mere  purpose  of  embelhshment, 
but  for  llie  sake  of  positive  information — it  were  vain  in  the 
author  to  aim  at  liiai  species  of  excellence  which,  under  other 
circuinstance?  he  might  have  aimed  at,  and  perhaps  in  some  de- 
gree iiave  attained.  Neveriheless,  if  any  one  shouki  still  hap- 
pen to  be  displeased  with  me,  for  sacrificing  ornament,  at  the 
shiine  ot  what  I  conceived  to  be  positive  use — to  that  brotlier  I 
would  say,  that  tlie  affection  of  truth  manifests  her  ornaments  in 
the  hidden  man  of  the  i'.eatt,  rather  than  in  the  plaiting  of  hair 
or  in  the  courtly  apparel,  (see  I.  Peter,  3.  3) — that  it  is  not  a  time 
for  men  to  dwell  in  their  ceiled  houses,  when  the  house  of  tlie 
Lord  is  as  a  pile  of  ruins;  (Hag.  1.  4.) — that  those  who  love 
Irulli  for  her  own  sake,  will  not  refuse  to  embrace  her,  although 
clad  in  simple  attire  ;  and  that  it  is  paying  no  very  great  compli- 
ment to  truth  to  treat  her  enemies  with  much  suavity  or  com- 
plaisance ;  or  to  go  about  to  reconcile  them  to  her  by  present- 
ing her  otherwise  than  in  her  native  charms. 

Bill  this  is  not  all  :  for  keeping  constanily  the  adage  in  view, 
namely,  that  "  They  are  the  best  writers  who  give  their  readers 
the  most  knoirledge  iti  the  least  titiie"' — it  resulted,  that,  in 
keeping  brevity  and  positive  inform.ition  still  before  me,  I  was 
thence  prevented  from  expatiating  in  the  flowery  fields  of  rhet- 
oric and  (leclamaiion,  in  which  so  many  vainly  strive  to  shine. 
But,  nevertheless,  if  in  poring  over  the  annals  of  the  church,  I 
have  driven  sleep  from  my  eyelids,  and  ilcprived  myself  of  it 
only  to  procure  it  more  abundantly  for  my  readers,  still  I  do  not 
ask  of  them  in  pity  me  ;  for  it  might  one  day  be  a  question,  who 
should  be  pitied  most,  they  or  I.  Whence,  it  only  remains 
to  add,  in  llie  words  of  a  beloved  brother:  [W.  Macferran] — 
"  May  the  Lord  guard  his  New  Church,  and  clothe  her  in  gar- 
ments white  and  clean  ;  and  may  she  be  enabled  to  throw  away 
the  old  bottles  frxlernals  grounded  in  the  lust  of  dominion]  of 
the  ii'hore  of  nabi/lon — out  of  which  'the  inhabitants  of  the 
earth  have  been  made  drunk  with  the  wine  of  her  fornication.'  " 


REVIEW 

OF  A 

SERMON  ON  CHURCH  GOVERNMENT, 

I'UBLISHED  IN  THE  PRBCURSOR,  OF  JULY,  1842. 


[The  following  essay,  which  was  written  for  the  New  Church  Messen- 
ger, is  deemed  to  be  of  such  intense  interest  to  the  church  as  to  warrant 
its  publication  in  this  form,  rather  than  permit  it  to  lie  dormant  until  the 
uncertain  period  when  that  work  can  be  issued.  We  think  it  furnishes 
another  to  the  many  powerful  arguments  already  existing  in  favor  of  the 
establishment  of  the  Messengrb.  While  many  persons,  led  on  by  clergy- 
men, professing  a  belief  in  the  heavenly  doctrines  of  the  New  Jerusalem, 
are  now  going  about  to  build  up  and  establish  an  ecclesiastical  govern- 
ment, or  rather  tyranny,  as  odious  and  abhorrent  as  even  the  worst  forms 
of  the  old  consummated  church,  it  becomes  a  primary  duty  of  every  friend 
of  religious  and  civil  freedom,  and  most  especially,  of  every  Newchurch- 
man,  to  scrutinize  well  the  principles  involved  within  the  dogmas  which 
emanate  from  them.  For  the  purpose  of  aiding  in  the  performance  of  this 
all-important  duty,  we  present  you  with  the  following  essay,  reviewing 
certain  dogmas  put  forth  in  a  sermon  preached  before  the  Western  N.  C. 
Convention  of  1842,  by  T.  O.  Prescott,  and  afterwards  published  in  the 
July  number  of  The  Precursor,  edited  b)'  M.  M.  Carle,  and  who,  by  pub- 
lishing them  without  comment,  may  justly  be  considered  as  endorsing 
their  ^orthodoxy.'' 

We  hope  that  this  review  may  have  a  tendency  to  aid  in  arousing  out 
brethren  to  a  state  of  watchfulness,  so  that  they  may  'take  heed  to  what 
they  hear,'  and  by  first  'proving  all  things,'  then  to  'judge  righteous  judg- 
ment.' Surely,  beloved  brethren,  the  'signs  of  the  times'  are  full  of  events, 
urging  us  to  listen  to  our  Lord's  admonition,  written  in  Mark,  xiii,  37, 
'■And  what  I  say  unto  you,  I  say  unto  all,  TVaichP] — Eds.  N.  C.  Mess. 


[For  the  New  Church  Messenger.] 

ON  DIVINE  ORDER,  AS  REFERRED  TO  THE  GOV- 
ERNMENT OF  THE  CHURCH. 

"Prophets  two  or  three  may  speak,  and  the  rest  [alloi']  may  judge."  (I  Co- 
rinthians, xiv,  29.)    "Prove  all  things."  (1  Thessalonias,  v,  24.) 

1.  The  counsel  and  exhortation  of  the  great  apostle  of  the 
Gentiles,  just  noticed,  is  no  less  applicable  to  the  church  at  this 
day,  than  it  was  eighteen  hundred  years  ago,  when  delivered  to 
the  churches  at  Corinth  and  Thessalonica.  Had  the  men  of 
the  primitive  church  tenaciously  adhered  to  their  rights — espe- 
cially that  of  judging  in  relation  to  the  things  spoken  by  their 
preachers,  and  of  'proving  all  things,' — they  never  could  have 
been  coaverted  into  the  timid  and  fearful  slaves  of  a  ghostly 


C    3  ] 


hierarchy,  nor  made  subservient  to  the  ministers  of  darkness 
for  more  than  a  thousand  years.  Whence,  the  voice  of  those 
'who  cry  peace!  tvhen  there  is  no  peace,'  to  the  contrary  not- 
■withstanding,  it  is  alleged,  that,  to  the  end  that  the  receivers  of 
the  heavenly  doctrines  of  the  New  Jerusalem  may  never  become 
entangled  with  a  like  yoke  of  clerical  bondage,  it  is  necessary 
that  they,  even  they,  should  also  judge,  in  the  spirit  of  that 
charity  which  never  faileth,  of  all  that  their  teachers  teach  and 
preach.  Influenced  by  these  considerations,  and  withal  by  the 
hope  of  promoting  the  genuine  peace  and  harmony  of  the  Lord's 
New  Church,  it  has  accordingly  become  our  duty  to  notice 
certain  doctrinal  sentiments,  exhibited  in  the  columns  of  The 
Precursor,  vol.  3,  pp.  161  to  165,  on  the  subject  of  Church 
Order;  and,  at  the  same  time,  to  adduce  such  remarks,  obser- 
vations and  authorities  as  may  tend  to  aid  and  assist  the  candid 
reader  to  form  for  himself  a  correct  judgment  in  relation  to  this 
deeply  interesting  subject.  Whence,  (lo  be  brief,)  of  the  things 
designed  to  be  noticed,  the  first  are  as  follows: 

2.  I.  "Man  being  himself  in  disorder,  deranges  evert/ 
thing  he  puis  his  hand  upon.''  "Ecclesiastical  institiitiois 
established  by  him,  are  formed  on  plans  more  or  less  distorted; 
and  have  their  origin  from  principles  within  himself ,  which 
are  more  or  less  evil  and  perverted."    (See  Precursor,  p.  161.) 

That  the  things  here  proposed  are  true,  becomes  evident  by 
looking  at  the  ecclesiastical  institutions  of  the  old  church,  in  any 
or  every  department  of  it;  and,  especially,  at  those  of  the  papal 
church,  whether  emanating  from  the  pope  himself,  or  from 
ecclesiastics  in  council  assembled. 

But  if  man,  from  disorder  in  himself,  deranges  every  thing 
he  puts  liis  hand  upon,  and  if  it  be  true  that  his  ecclesiastical 
enactments  flow  from  evil  and  corrupt  principles,  from  the  love 
of  self  and  the  lust  of  dominion  thence,  (p.  165,  first  column,) 
then  it  inevitably  follows,  tiiat  for  man  to  go  about  to  csiablisli 
the  external  order  of  the  church,  by  ecclesiastical  laws  of  his 
own  devising,  is  only  to  go  about  to  lay  the  cold  baud  of  death 
upon  the  church,  and  to  rend  her  asunder. 

3.  Is  it  not  rank  impiety,  and  an  oflcnce  that  smells  to 
heaven,  for  mnn,  fallen,  corrupt  and  disordered  man,  even  to  at- 
tempt to  establish  the  order  of  the  church  in  any  way  or  manner 
whatever?  Let  the  men  of  tiie  New  Church  note  it  in  the  book 
of  remembrance,  that  "The  order  according  to  which  the  Lord 
[|not  man  from  his  corrupt  principles]  has  established  the  church, 
is,  that  God  [not  corrupt  man]  is  in  all  and  every  part  of  it." 
And,  let  it  also  be  noted  in  the  same  book,  that  the  laws  of 


C  3  3 


order,  according  to  which  God  has  established  the  church,  in- 
Btead  of  being  as  many  as  have  from  time  to  time  been  hatched 
out  by  corrupt  and  unregenerate  ecclesiastics  in  council  or  con- 
vention, in  the  shape  of  creeds,  confessions  of  faiih,  constitutions, 
church  disciplines,  liturgies,  etc.,  are  only  as  many  as  there  are 
truths  in  the  Word.  And  who  dare  say,  that  there  is  one  law 
of  order  more,  of  any  force  in  the  church?  Not  only  so,  but 
are  not  the  truths  of  the  Word  external  as  well  as  internal? 
If  so,  are  not  the  laws  of  order,  according  to  which  the  Lord 
{not  corrupt  man]  has  established  the  church,  external  as  well 
as  internal?  Where  then  is  there  a  place  found,  in  the  laws 
of  church  order,  for  the  traditions,  commandments,  or  ecclesi- 
astical enactments  of  fallen  and  corrupt  man?  Verily,  "the 
Lord  is  the  God  of  the  vallies  as  well  as  the  hills:"  therefore, 
the  Assyrian  has  no  place  to  reign  or  rule  within  the  borders  of 
Israel.  (See  1  Kings,  xx,  28.) 

4.  n.  In  p.  161,  second  column,  we  are  virtually  told,  that 
*^ Ecclesiastical  laws,  framed  by  fallen  and  disordered  man, 
maybe  called  the  order  of  disorder;"  and  that  "/if  is  im- 
possible for  man  to  frame  a  tvork  that  shall  be  in  order,  when 
the  very  instruments  luith  lohich,  and  the  principles  f-om 
which  he  ivorks  are  out  of  order  and  perverted.^'' 

That  the  things  here  proposed  are  true,  no  man  in  his  sober 
senses  will  attempt  to  deny;  and  not  only  so,  but  if  it  be  im- 
possible for  fallen  and  corrupt  man  to  frame  a  work  or  law 
which  shall  be  in  order,  then  it  is  justly  concluded,  that,  instead 
of  hatching  out  the  order  of  disorder,  as  a  means  of  traveling 
out  of  it!  he  ought  rather  to  submit  himself  to  the  order  of  God, 
as  manifested  in  the  truths  of  the  Word; — instead  of  going 
about,  like  the  Jews,  to  establish  his  own  righteousness,  that  is, 
his  own  unrighteous  laws  of  disorder,  his  own  traditions  and 
commandments,  he  ought  rather  to  submit  himself  to  the  right- 
eousness of  God,  that  is,  to  the  righteousness  of  His  laws  of 
Divine  Order,  already  laid  in  the  Word; — and  instead  of  hewing 
out  to  himself  cisterns,  broken  cisterns,  that  can  hold  no  water, 
in  the  shape  of  ecclesiastical  laws  of  church  order,  he  ought 
rather  to  return  to  the  fountain  of  living  waters,  the  Divine 
truths  of  the  Word,  and  to  a  life  in  accordance  with  them. 
(Compare  with  Rom.,  x,  3,  and  with  Jer.,  ii,  13.) 

5.  in.  In  page  161,  first  column,  we  are  virtually  told, 
that  "TVifi  great  and  single  end  which  man  [fallen,  disordered, 
etc.]  ought  ever  to  have  in  view,  in  all  his  operations,'^  in 
"establishing  ecclesiastical  institutions,  [laws  of  church  order,^ 
is  man's  regeneration.'" 


C    4  ] 


Here  an  idea  is  given,  that  man  may  operate  and  procure  the 
means  of  his  own  regeneration  and  salvation,  as  well  as  that  of 
his  neighbors,  whilst  nothing  is  taught  in  relation  to  man's  co- 
operation with  God  in  the  means  which  his  own  Almighty  arm 
has  provided,  and  laid  in  the  Word,  (independently  of  man, 
see  Isa.,  lix,  16,)  as  the  alone  means  of  man's  regeneration  and 
salvation!  Nay,  we  are  here  told,  that  the  great  and  single  §nd 
which  man  ought  ever  to  have  in  view,  when  he  commences 
ecclesiastical  legislator, — or,  as  Swedenborg  would  say,  when 
he  commences  hatching  out  laws  of  church  order, — is  man's 
regeneration  !  !  But,  is  it  not  a  truth,  that  the  great  end  which 
man  ought  ever  to  have  in  view,  is  neither  more  nor  less  than 
that  he  may  enjoy  the  delights  of  heaven  in  doing  good,  ac- 
cording to  the  divine  laws  and  institutions  as  already  given  in 
the  Word?  and  that  he  may  be  found,  not  willing  ecclesiastical 
laws  of  his  own  devising,  and  which  are,  in  the  complex,  no 
other  than  the  "orJer  of  disorder,"  much  less  running  after 
them,  or  it;  but,  contrariwise,  ivalking  in  all  (he  laws  and 
ordinances  of  the  Lord  blameless  ?  Whence,  the  great  end  of 
man  should  be,  that  he  might  be  regenerated  and  saved  by 
obedience  to  the  law  of  the  Lord,  thus  that  he  might  be  regen- 
erated and  saved  by  the  Lord  alone :  and  not  that  he  should  be 
regenerated  and  saved  by  means  of  ecclesiastical  laws  of  his 
own  devising ;  for  it  is  evident,  that  this  were  to  exalt  man  so 
as  to  be  his  own  regenerator  and  saviour,  and,  at  the  same  time, 
to  usurp  the  throne,  the  powers  and  prerogatives  of  the  Lord, 
who  alone  is  the  Regenerator  and  Saviour  to  eternity. 

6.  In  Apocalypse  Explained,  we  are  taught,  that  there  are 
two  things  which  make  the  church,  viz:  the  acknowledgment 
and  faith  that  the  Lord  alone  has  the  power  of  saving,  and  that 
the  Word  is  Divine  ;  and  that  the  reason  is,  because  the  Lord 
reforms  and  regenerates  man,  and  gives  him  faith  and  love,  and 
the  Word  teaches  the  way  whereby  man  should  go  to  the  Lord, 
in  order  that  he  should  receive  faith  and  love  from  Him.  But 
that  the  opposite  of  these  two  things  are,  that  tlie  Lord  has 
transferred  the  power  of  saving,  or  of  regenerating,  to  some 
man,  as  to  a  pope,  or  to  a  class  of  men,  as  to  the  clergy;  and, 
that  the  dictates  of  the  pope,  or  of  the  clergy,  in  the  shape  of 
bulls,  or  ecclesiastical  laws,  are  of  equal  power  or  sanctity  with 
the  Word,  in  the  work  of  man's  regeneration  ;  and  that  in  the 
degree  that  these  are  acknowledged,  there  is  Babylon.  (See 
n.  1070.) 

7.  In  n.  1029,  of  the  same  work  noticed  in  the  last  article, 
we  may  learn,  that  the  clergy  of  Babylon  are  at  first  in  zeal  for 
the  Lord,  for  the  Word,  for  love  and  faith,  and  for  the  salvation 


C    5  ] 


of  men;  but,  that  in  all  their  zeal  there  lies  concealed  the  love 
of  ruling,  which,  in  process  of  time,  as  dominion  increases, 
breaks  out  so,  that  the  holy  things  of  the  church  become  the 
means,  and  dominion  itself  the  greed  end;  and  that,  in  such 
case,  the  regeneration  and  salvation  of  the  laity  is  made  de- 
pendent on  the  power  of  the  clergy,  who  appropriate  to  them- 
selves the  divine  power  of  the  Lord.    Nay,  we  are  further 
taught,  that  they  put  on  zeal  for  the  Lord,  for  heaven,  and  for 
the  church ;  that  they  labor  that  they  may,  to  all  appearance, 
woiship  the  Lord  alone;  and  especially,  that  all  things  of  the 
Word  might  be  kept  holy!  and,  that  they  ordain  by  ecclesias- 
tical laws,  that  sanctity  and  integrity  might  reign  in  all!  But, 
that,  nevertheless,  in  all  this  their  zeal,  when  seen  from  the 
light  of  heaven,  an  ardent  cupidity  of  ruling  over  others  is  man- 
ifested ;   and  by  which  they  are  so  blinded,  that  they  really 
believe  that  those  tilings  which  they  ordain,  that  is,  the  laws  of 
church  order  which  they  have  adopted  in  council  or  convention, 
are  really  accepted  by  the  Lord  !    And  thus  that  the  case  ever 
has  been,  that  the  clergy,  as  soon  as  they  obtain  dominion, 
begin  to  manifest  their  end,  namely,  not  that  the  Lord  might 
rule,  but  themselves  ;  thus  that  the  Lord  might  serve  them,  and 
not  they  the  Lord ;  and  that  all  things  might  be  disposed  at 
their  nod!    On  this  occasion,  we  are  further  taught,  that  devils, 
all  of  whom  covet  nothing  more  than  to  exercise  dominion  over 
heaven,  have  been  known  to  worship  tlie  Lord  in  a  more  sanc- 
tified manner  than  many  angels  ;  nay,  even  to  (he  acknowledg- 
ment of  His  divine  principle;  and  all  this,  from  the  hopes  of 
obtaining  the  dominion.    From  all  which,  it  is  evident,  that 
the  clergy,  in  whom  the  love  of  self  and  the  lust  of  dominion 
reigns,  never  rest  until  they  get  their  traditions  (all  tending  to 
domination  over  the  souls  and  bodies  of  the  laity)  established  in 
the  shape  of  ecclesiastical  laws,  edicts,  dictates,  or  popish  bulls, 
through  which  to  render  void  the  law  of  the  Lord;  or,  what  is 
the  same  thing,  through  which  to  render  the  truths  of  the  Word 
void  and  of  none  effect.    (Compare  with  Ap.  Ex.,  n.  1055.) 

8.  Let  it  then  be  known,  that  man  by  the  Word  has  com- 
munication and  conjunction  with  heaven,  thus  with  the  Lord 
himself;  and  that,  by  the  bulls  of  popes,  the  edicts,  dictates, 
decrees,  or  ecclesiastical  laws  of  the  clergy,  whether  emanating 
from  council  or  convention,  or  otherwise,  man  has  neither  re- 
formation, regeneration,  communication  nor  conjunction  either 
with  heaven  or  with  the  Lord,  who  is  king  of  all  therein.  And 
the  reason  is,  because  the  great  end  of  all  such  decrees,  laws 
of  order,  etc.,  although  said  to  be  man's  regeneration,  is  never- 
theless domination,  that  is,  the  dominion  of  the  clergy  over  the 

1* 


[    6  J 


souls  and  bodies  of  the  laity.  (Ap.  Ex.,  n.  1071.)  In  furthct 
confirmation  of  which,  Swedenborg  informs  us,  in  L.  J.,  n.  58, 
that  the  clergy  of  the  Babylonian  race  continually  hatch  new 
laws  and  new  doctrinals;  and  that,  on  a  certain  occasion,  it  was 
granted  him  to  hear  certain  ecclesiastics,  in  convention,  con- 
sulting about  a  doctrine  which  was  to  be  an  ecclesiastical  law 
to  the  laity;  and  that,  although  it  consisted  of  several  articles, 
yet  they  all  tended  to  one  tiling,  namely,  fraudulent  dominion 
over  the  heavens,  over  the  faith  of  the  laity,  and  the  ascription 
of  all  power  to  themselves,  and  none  to  the  Lord.  But,  that 
he  learned  from  heaven,  that  the  articles  in  question  were  dic- 
tated from  the  deepest  hell.  And,  in  n.  64,  he  teaches,  that 
those  who  place  papal  bulls,  all  of  which  have  dominion  for  an 
end,  on  an  equality  with  the  AVord,  by  calling  them  essentials, 
are  all  cast  into  the  hells  of  profaners. 

9.  But  that  the  ecclesiastical  laws,  edicts,  decrees,  etc., 
established  by  the  clergy,  originate  from  the  same  source,  and 
make  one  with  papal  bulls,  is  abundantly  confirmed,  not  only 
in  the  articles  immediately  preceding,  but  in  hundreds  of  other 
places  in  the  writings  of  the  Church,  which,  time  would  fail  us 
to  barely  mention.  Suffice  it  to  say,  that,  in  various  places  in 
Universal  Theology,  Swedenborg  virtually  decl  ares,  that  liiere 
is  not  the  least  confidence  to  be  placed  in  councils,  but  that  men 
should  turn  their  backs  upon  them,  and  go  the  Word  of  the 
Lord.  And,  in  teaching  or  declaring  this,  what  less  does  lie 
teach  and  declare,  than  that  the  ecclesiastical  laws  of  church 
order,  hatched  and  prescribed  by  the  clergy,  and  established  in 
council  or  convention,  are  not  to  be  trusted  lo,  or  confided  in? 
Nay,  does  he  not  rather  teach,  that,  having  a  sample  of  the 
quality  of  the  things  thence  produced,  as  witnessed  in  the  vicar- 
ship  of  the  pope,  and  in  the  drawing  up  of  predestination  from 
the  abyss,  we  may  lawfully  reject  every  thing  purporting  to  be 
from  that  source,  as  if  it  were  actually  a  papal  bull  direct  from 
the  deepest  hell,  and  fly  to  tlie  Word  of  the  Lord,  as  into  a 
strong  tower,  until  the  indignation  of  the  clergy  be  overpast  ? 
AVhence,  the  general  conclusion  is,  that  the  decrees,  ordinances 
or  laws  of  councils,  (consisting  of  ecclesiastics,)  and  popish 
bulls,  fall  of  which  have  domination  for  an  end,  instead  of  sal- 
vation,) are  virtually  the  same  thing,  from  the  same  source,  and 
to  be  equally  rejected  by  every  man  of  the  Lord's  New  Cliurch. 
And  to  this  agree  the  words  of  Jaremiah:  "O  Lord,  1  know  that 
the  way  of  man  is  not  in  himself;  it  is  not  in  man  that  walkelh 
to  direct  his  steps."  "Cursed  is  he  that  putteth  his  trust  [con- 
lidence3  in  man,  and  maketh  flesh  his  arm  ;  whose  heart  de- 
partelh  from  the  Lord."  (x.  23,  and  xvii,  5,  6.)    And  not  only 


C    7  'J 


?o,  but,  as  touching  ecclesiastical  laws,  by  which  are  always 
meant  the  decrees  of  the  clergy,  or  of  their  creatures  in  council 
or  convention  assembled,  the  tendency  of  which,  like  the  calves 
of  the  son  of  Nebut  who  made  Israel  to  sin,  ever  was  to  divert 
the  men  of  the  church  from  Jerusalem,  tvhich  is  above  and  the 
mother  of  zis  all,  and  from  the  laws  of  order  laid  in  the  Word; 
and  the  authority  for  which,  like  that  for  Aaron's  calf  is  want- 
ing both  in  revelation  and  reason — it  should  be  remembered, 
that  the  Lord  teaches,  that  it  is  vain  to  ihink  of  worshipping 
Him  by  '■'leaching  for  doctrines  the  commandments  of  men.^^ 
(See  Matt,  xv,  9.)    And  again,  by  the  mouth  of  Isaiah,  virtu- 
ally, that  those  to  whom  the  fear  of  the  Lord  is  taught  by  the 
authoritative  precf/)/5  [ecclesiastical  laws]  of  men,  only  draw 
nigh  to  the  Lord  ivith  their  lips,  [^externals,]  ivhile  their  hearts 
[inlexn-dW]  are  far  from  him.  (xxix,  13.) 

10.  But,  let  it  here  be  asked,  how  many  proselytes  were 
ever  made  to  the  church  by  means  of  ecclesiastical  laws  of 
church  order,  creeds,  confessions  of  faith,  constitutions,  etc., 
that  were  thence  made  two-fold  more  the  children  of  heaven 
than  they  were  before?  Do  not  men  now,  as  when  the  Lord 
was  in  the  world,  just  in  proportion  as  they  become  proselyted 
over  to  the  ecclesiastical  laws  of  men,  involving  articles  of 
faith,  church  government,  order,  etc.,  or,  what  is  the  same 
thing,  just  in  proportion  as  they  become  proselyted  over  to  the 
traditions,  precepts  and  commandments  of  men,  become  thence 
twofold  more  the  children  of  hell  than  they  were  before? 

11.  IV.  In  p.  1G5,  first  column,  we  are  told,  that  in  the 
hearts  of  the  men  of  the  Church,  whether  New  or  Old,  "//je 
monster  self-love  is  continually  rising  and  clutching  at  all  it 
can  reach,  and  striving  to  subject  all  to  its  dominion and 
in  p.  162,  first  column,  that  '^tvhen  tve find  men  directing  their 
attention  to  points  of  external  order,  [that  is,  to  the  enacting 
of  ecclesiastical  laws,]  it  should  charitably  be  concluded,  that 
they  are  endeavoring  to  regulate.the  externals,  as  a  means  to 
the  establishment  of  order  in  the  internals." 

That  the  true  quality  of  the  things  here  proposed  may  be 
seen  in  light,  it  is  only  necessary  to  know,  that  to  judge  char- 
itably  is  to  judge  justly  and  righteously;  and  that  to  thus  judge 
involves  in  it  that  we  judge  impartially  and  without  respect  of 
persons.  Whence,  as  touching  popish  prelates,  in  whose  hearts 
the  monster  self-love  ivas  continually  rising  and  clutching  all 
within  its  reach,  but  who  nevertheless  directed  their  chief  at- 
tention to  points  of  external  order,  that  is,  to  the  establishment 
of  ecclesiastical  laws,  the  charitable  conclusion  of  the  New 


[    8  ] 


Church  is,  that  domination  over  the  Church  was  the  great  end 
and  object  they  iiad  in  view;  and  consequently,  that  their  eccle- 
siastical laws  [modestly  called  external  order]  had  their  source 
in  the  deepest  hell;  and  therefore,  also,  that  the  attention  of 
such  prelates  to  points  of  external  order,  so  far  from  regulating 
the  externals  as  a  means  of  establishing  order  in  the  internals, 
whether  of  their  own,  or  of  the  laity,  only  resulted  in  causing 
the  church  to  turn  her  back  upon  internal  things,  and  then  to 
lose  sight  of  them  altogether,  and,  with  these,  of  the  Word  also, 
which,  for  that  reason,  was  actually  taken  from  the  laity,  and 
the  reading  of  it  prohibited  on  pain  of  death!  Such  being  the 
charitable  judgment  of  the  New  Church,  in  relation  to  the  Cath- 
olic clergy,  engaged  in  hatching  and  setting  up  ecclesiastical 
laws,  [external  order,]  it  follows,  that  such  also  must  be  her 
judgment  in  relation  to  her  own  clergy,  (in  whose  hearts  it  is 
acknowledged  the  monster  self-love  is  rising  up  continually,*) 
when  engaged  in  performing  the  same  acts;  that  is,  in  going 
about  to  establisli  ecclesiastical  laws  of  church  order. 

12.  V.  In  p.  162,  second  column,  we  are  virtually  told, 
that  ^'bettveen  the  diseases  of  the  mind  and  their  appropriate 
remedies,  and  those  of  the  body  and  their  remedies,  there  is 
an  exact  correspondence;  and,  that  the  mind  of  man,  in  the 
present  day,  is  totally  deranged,  diseased  and  disordered;"— 
but,  (first  column,)  that  7vhen  the  eye  is  diseased,  it  requires 
the  exhibition,  not  of  orderly,  bid  of  disorderly  means,  that  is, 
of  darkness,  as  of  that  trhich  is  best  accommodated  to  it;  and 
that  tvhe7i  the  body  is  diseased,  noxiotis  and  poisonous  sub- 
stances, tvhich  in  themselves  are  disorderly  and  from  an  evil 
origin,  must  be  exhibited;  inasmuch  as  ivholesome  food  only 
heightens  the  disease. 

Respecting  the  things  here  adduced  from  the  columns  of  the 
Precursor,  it  may  be  observed,  in  the  first  place,  that  they  almost 
appear  as  if  they  had  been  copied  from  the  journals  of  the 
clerical  council  or  convention  held  a  Tolosa,  in  1229,  wherein 
it  was  enacted  and  decreed  that  "no  layman  sliould  be  guilty  of 
keeping  the  Bible  in  his  possession,  if  printed  in  his  vernacular 
tongue,  on  pain  of  heresy,"  that  is,  on  pain  of  death. 

The  reason  why  it  thus  appears,  is,  because  we  can  scarcely 
avoid  conceiving  the  members  of  the  convention  in  question 


*  Those  who  jupposc  that  Ihey  arc  genuine  Neuchiirchiiicn,  while  the 
monster  self-love  is  conliniinll)'  rlsinsc  up  in  their  hearts,  nia^-  be  likened  to  the 
Jcw>,  who  supposed  that  they  were  the  genuine  seed  ol'  Abraham,  thus  genu- 
ine Jews,  from  the  mere  outward  circumstance  of  circumcision,  indepeudcolly 
of  circumcision  of  the  heart. 


[    9  ] 


making  use  of  the  very  premises  above  adduced  as  the  best 
means  of  arriving  at  the  desired  conclusion;  that  is,  of  arriving 
at  a  plausible  pretext  for  wresting  the  Bible  out  of  the  hands  of 
the  laity.  To  him  who  has  ears  to  hear,  and  is  thence  let  to 
hear  freely,  it  is  by  no  means  difficult  to  hear  the  members  oi 
the  council  in  question  arguing  as  follows: 

"When  the  natural  eye  is  diseased,  darkness  is  rather  adapt- 
ed and  accommodated  to  it  than  light; 

"But  the  spiritual  eye  of  the  laity,  that  is,  their  understand- 
ing, (between  whicli  and  the  natural  eye  there  is  an  exact  cor- 
respondence,) is  'totally  deranged  and  disordered;' 

"Therefore,  a  state  of  mental  darkness  is  better  adapted  and 
accommodated  to  the  diseased  and  disordered  mind  and  under- 
standing of  the  laity,  than  that  which  must  necessarily  flow  into 
them  from  the  free  use  of  the  Bible; 

"Whence,  if  a  state  of  mental  darkness  be  that  which  is 
adapted  and  accommodated  to  the  diseased  and  disordered  mind, 
rather  than  light,  it  will  farther  follow,  that  we  should  take  the 
Bible  out  of  the  hands  of  the  laity  immediately;  especially, 
when  we  consider  how  many  of  the  laity  have,  from  time  to 
time,  by  means  of  the  light  of  the  Bible,  become  stricken  with 
total  blindness  in  relation  to  the  force,  the  sanctity,  the  proprie- 
ty and  expediency  of  clferical  dominion,  authority  and  rule. 
Let  us  therefore  take  the  Bible  out  of  the  hands  of  the  laity  at 
once,  and,  instead  thereof,  let  us  abundantly  supply  them  with 
our  own  laws  of  order — the  order  of  disorder,  and  expedient 
order — and  let  us,  at  the  same  time,  labor  to  convince  the  laity 
of  our  kindness  and  care  towards  them,  in  depriving  them  of 
the  light  provided  by  heaven  when  it  would  injure  their  spiritual 
eyes,  and  hinder  their  regeneration  and  salvation;  and,  at  the 
same  time,  in  generously  supplying  them  with  our  laws  of 
order,  of  expedient  order,  and  of  the  order  of  disorder,  drawn 
from  our  own  best  judgment,  as  those  most  likely  to  effect  the 
end  we  have  in  view,  and  which,  from  their  darkness  and  dis' 
order,  are  not  only  expedient,  but  accounnodated  to  their  state, 
[the  slate  of  the  laity ,3  rather  than  the  laws  of  order  given  in 
the  Word.  Let  us  labor  to  convince  the  laity,  that,  after  the 
example  of  Christ  who  accommodated  Himself  to  the  low  estate 
of  the  church  by  means  of  His  Word,  so  we,  by  depriving  them 
of  Christ's  Word  when  it  would  hinder  their  regeneration 
and  salvation,  and,  instead  thereof,  supplying  them  with  the 
darkness  of  our  own  words,  our  own  laws  of  disorder,  our  own 
best  judgments,  as  with  things  adapted  and  accommodated  to 
the  diseased  state  of  their  minds,  have  abundantly  accommoda- 
ted ourselves  also  to  the  low  state  of  the  church !    But,  in  con- 


[  10  i 


fciusion,  the  great  reason  why  such  measures  should  be  imrtle* 
diately  taken,  in  relation  to  the  laity,  is  because  the  result  must 
needs  be  nothing  less  than  fresh  revenues  and  resources  of 
honor,  glorj'  and  dominion  to  the  clergy!" 

13.  But  leaving  the  insanities  of  the  clergy  of  Tolosa  behind 
us,  let  it  be  asked,  if  it  is  yet  necessary  to  tell  a  Nevvchurchman 
that  the  Lord,  by  His  Divine  Providence,  guards  the  radiance 
of  the  Word,  in  relation  to  the  eye  that  might  be  injured  and 
hurt  by  it,  not  by  taking  away  the  Word  altogether,  and  thus 
leaving  the  eye,  however  diseased,  in  the  blackness  of  thick 
darkness;  but  by  means  of  the  veil  of  the  letter,  and  which  is 
of  such  a  divine  texture,  that  it  tempers  and  accommodates  the 
divine  radiance  within  to  the  iceakest  eye,  and  to  the  diseased 
and  disordered  understanding  or  mind  of  man.  Whence,  the 
the  reason  why  shade,  or  comparative  darkness,  is  better  adapt- 
ed to  a  diseased  eye  than  the  brilliant  light  of  the  sun,  becomes 
manifest.  Whence,  also,  it  is  farther  concluded,  that  without 
the  strength  afforded  by  nourishing  and  wholesome  food,  the 
diseased  body  must  needs  always  remain  feeble  and  emaciated, 
and  unable  to  perform  the  common  operations  of  life  ;  and, 
without  the  strength  afforded  by  the  natural  light  of  the  sun, 
the  diseased  eye  must  needs  also  remain  feeble  and  unable  to 
Bee  any  thing  distinctly,  and  far  less  to  look  upon  the  sun  itself; 
— so,  (lorrespondently,  Aviihout  the  bread  of  life  contained  in 
the  Word,  without  the  light  of  Divine  Truth  therein  contained, 
at  least  tempered  by  ths  veil  of  the  letter — instead  of  the  nox- 
ious poison  of  asps  and  dragons — instead  of  that  thick  darkness 
and  smoke  of  the  pit,  arising  by  the  way  of  councils  and  con- 
ventions, composed  of  the  clergy  or  their  creatures,  and  issued 
thence  in  the  sliape  of  ecclesiastical  laws,  [church  order,] — the 
diseased  mind  must  needs  remain  feeble  and  emaciated,  and 
the  disordered  understanding  unable  to  look  steadfastly  up  into 
heaven,  or  to  discern  aright  between  good  and  evil. 

14.  VI,  In  p.  1B2,  second  column,  (as  before,)  we  are  vir- 
tually told,  that  "3fan,  in  endeavoring  to  cure  his  diseased 
and  deranged  mind,  is  not  to  use  means  tohich  iti  themselves 
are  perfectly  in  order,  for  they  would  be  positively  injurious. 
^Ind  that  he  is  not  to  use  means  that  are  altogether  disorderly, 
for  that  tvould  not  be  U'iseJ  But,  that  he  must  seek  [procurej 
and  use  such  means  as  are  accommodated  to  his  totally  dis- 
ordered and  diseased  state;  and  such  as  will,  in  his  best  judg- 
ment, be  most  likely  to  effect  a  crcre." 

It  may  be  noticed,  in  the  first  place,  that  the  thought  con- 
tained in  the  first  of  the  sentences  last  noticed,  is  in  keeping 


C  11  3 


witli  the  things  adduced  from  the  Precursor  in  n.  12,  inasmuch 
as  it  was  there  said,  that  when  the  body  is  diseased,  things  dis- 
orderly, that  is,  noxious  and  poisonous  substances,  may  and 
must  be  exhibited;  and,  that  the  medicines  of  mind  and  body 
correspond  to  each  other;  and,  because  it  is  here  said,  that  man 
in  endeavoring  to  cure  his  diseased  and  deranged  mind,  is  not 
to  use  means  which  in  themselves  are  perfectly  in  order,  for 
they  would  be  positively  injurious! 

Is  it  not  acknowledged  universally  in  the  church,  that  means, 
which  in  themselves  are  perfectly  in  order,  are  the  truths  of  the 
Word?  But,  by  the  things  of  the  Precursor,  when  the  mind  is 
diseased,  the  truths  of  the  Word  must  not  be  used,  because  they 
are  means  perfectly  in  order,  and  therefore  would  be  positively 
injurious!  Thus  would  the  Precursor  seem  to  reject  the  truths 
of  the  Word  as  healing  remedies  when  the  mind  is  diseased 
and  disordered;  when  the  whole  head  is  sick,  and  the  whole 
heart  faint;  and  when  indeed  there  is  the  greatest  need  of  the 
saving  health  the  Word  imparts  !  David  says,  "The  Lord  sent 
His  Word,  and  it  healed  the  people."  (Ps.,  cvii,  20.)  But  the 
Precursor  says,  that  when  the  whole  head  is  sick,  and  the  heart 
faint,  means  perfectly  in  order  [_as  is  the  Word  of  the  Lord 
throughout]  are  not  to  be  used,  for  they  would  be  positively 
injurious!  And  not  only  so,  but  the  man  of  the  church,  in  the 
case  under  consideration,  instead  of  being  directed  to  the  Word, 
thus  to  the  Lord  who  alone  is  able  to  heal  the  maladies  of  the 
soul,  is  not  only  doomed  to  effect  a  cure  in  his  own  mind,  said 
to  be  totally  deranged  and  disordered,  (as  though  it  were  possi- 
ble for  a  man,  deranged  and  disordered  in  his  mind,  to  devise 
means  whereby  to  remove  such  derangement  and  disorder!) 
but,  at  the  same  time,  he  is  also  doomed  to  effect  that  cure 
independently  of  means  that  are  perfectly  in  order!  that  is,  inde- 
pendently of  the  truths  of  the  Word! — of  the  Word  itself! — 
and  thus  of  the  Lord  himself,  who  is  the  Word  ! 

15.  It  is  said  above,  n.  14,  that  "man  must  seek  [^procure] 
and  use  such  means  as  are  accommodated  to  the  diseased  stale 
of  his  mind,  and  such  as  will,  in  his  best  judgment,  be  most 
likely  to  effect  a  cure."  Here,  because  we  hear  nothing  of  or 
concerning  the  pure  river  of  the  water  of  life  watering  the  New 
Jerusalem — nothing  of  the  leaves  of  the  tree  of  life,  given  for 
the  healing  of  diseased  minds — nothing  of  the  balm  of  Gilead, 
nor  of  the  Great  Physician  himself,  whose  skill  is  such  that  He 
can  even  wipe  away  all'tears,  and  whose  store  of  medicines  for 
and  in  behalf  of  the  weary,  heavy  laden,  wounded,  sick  and 
sore,  is  not  only  inexhaustible,  but  utterly  destitute  oi noxious, 
of  poisonous,  and  of  other  deadly  things  ;  therefore,  the  just 


[    12  ] 


conclusion  is,  that  with  such  as  hold  this  proposition  to  be  true, 
the  church  is,  as  it  were,  in  the  rear  one  thousand  years,  and 
to  the  time  that  the  laity  were  doomed  to  get  to  heaven  the  best 
way  they  could  by  means  of  ecclesiastical  laws  of  church  order 
furnished  by  the  clergy,  independently  of  the  Word  sent  down 
from  heaven  to  guide  us  all  thither. 

16.  The  dogmas  we  are  considering  places  the  church  in 
one  conglomerated  mass,  away  back  in  the  waste,  howling  wil- 
derness, at  least  a  thousand  years,  (see  the  last,)  miseiable,  and 
poor,  and  blind,  and  naked;  with  her  whole  head  sick,  and  her 
heart  faint,  and  her  mind  totally  deranged  and  disordeied  ! 

But  what  are  the  remedies  prescribed  and  proposed,  by  which 
the  bride,  the  Lamb's  wife,  may  leave  the  mass  of  the  old 
church,  as  a  corrupt  carcase,  and  come  up  out  of  the  wilderness, 
leaning  on  her  beloved  ?  Is  it  prescribed  as  a  remedy  by  which 
to  heal  her  disordered  mind,  that  she  should  place  no  confidence 
in  the  legislative  councils  or  conventions  of  the  clergy  and  their 
creatures?  Is  it  proposed,  that  instead  of  leaning  on  ecclesias- 
tical laws  of  church  order,  enacted  by  the  clergy  and  their  tools, 
thus  on  the  traditions  and  commandments  of  men,  she  ought 
by  all  means  to  reject  them,  and  fly  to  the  Word  of  the  Lord 
alone,  and  thus  lean  indeed  on  the  Lord  alone,  who  is  her  hus- 
band and  head  ?  By  no  means.  For  she  is  rather  taught,  (by 
the  dogmas  we  are  considering,)  that,  if  diseased,  it  would  be 
positively  injurious  to  use  means  perfectly  in  order!  and  there- 
fore, that,  in  such  case,  she  should  procure  and  use  such  means 
as  are  accommodated  to  her  diseased  state,  and  such  as  in  her 
own  best  judgment  will  be  most  likely  to  eflect  a  cure! — or, 
■what  is  virtually  the  same,  that  the  church  should  submit  to  be 
guided,  ruled  and  governed  by  ecclesiastical  laws,  purporting  to 
be  not  only  accommodated  to  her  slate,  but  also,  to  be  of  and 
from  the  best  judgment  of  the  ecclesiastics  who  hatched  them 
out  and  established  ihem! 

17.  Here  let  us  for  a  moment  inquire,  why  it  is,  that  tyrants, 
civil  and  ecclesiaslical,  as  well  as  half-souled  reformers,  have 
been  so  unanimous  in  making  it  a  prominent  article  of  their 
creed,  that,  in  relation  to  reformation  in  church  or  state,  "The 
use  of  means  perfectly  in  order  is  positively  injurious?"  And, 

1st.  Why  do  civil  tyrants  adopt  the  dogma  in  question?  Is 
it  not  because  they  well  know,  that  should  the  people  be  per- 
mitted to  govern  themselves  in  civil  matters,  such  species  of 
government,  though  perfectly  in  order,  would  at  once  make 
void  their  supposed  divine  right  to  rule  and  govern  the  people 
according  to  the  council  of  their  own  will  ?  And  is  it  not 
thence  that  tyrants  abhor  republicanism,  involving  equal  rights; 


[    13  ] 


seeing  that  when  such  form  of  government  prevails,  the  tyrant 
must  needs  come  down  from  his  usurped  tlirone,  so  as  to  be 
simply  one  of  the  people,  and  tiience  to  an  equality,  at  which 
his  soul  sickens  while  he  only  thinks  of  it ! 

2d.  Why  has  the  southern  slaver,  the  oppressor  of  Afric's 
sable  sons,  adopted  the  dogma  in  question?  Does  he  not  know 
that  slavery  is  the  order  of  disorder?  that  it  is  a  grievous  sin  in 
the  sight  of  heaven  and  all  good  men?  and  that  it  is  an  evil  for 
which  the  land  may  yet  smoke  like  that  of  Sodom  and  Gomor- 
rah? All  this  he  knows;  but  yet  affirms,  that  the  best  way  to 
abolish  it  is,  instead  of  crying  out  against  it,  to  countenance  and 
defend  it ! — nay,  if  possible,  to  enter  into  the  order  of  the  dis- 
order of  it,  in  order  more  effectually  to  travel  out  of  it! !  The 
negro  oppressor  knows,  that  the  introduction  of  perfect  order 
would  banish  from  the  earth  involuntary  servitude;  and  that  it 
involves  in  it,  not  only  that  the  bones,  sinews,  bodies  and  souls 
of  negroes  are  their  own,  but  that  they  should  know  it  as  men  ! 
Whence,  in  allusion  to  the  price  of  such  stolen  property,  the 
negro  oppressor  exclaims,  ''Perfect  order  is  a  positive  injury !" 

3d.  Why  do  ecclesiastical  tyrants  adopt  the  dogma  in  ques- 
tion ?  Why  do  they  allege  that  the  use  of  means  perfectly  in 
order  would  be  positively  injurious  ?  Why  do  not  lliey  submit 
to  the  order  according  to  which  God  has  established  the  church; 
seeing  that  that  order  is  no  other  than  perfect  order  ?  Is  it  not 
because  they  well  know,  that,  according  to  that  order,  no  pro- 
vision whatever  is  made  for  an  established  hierarchy,  or,  what 
is  the  same  thing,  a  priestly  succession;  nor  for  the  earthly 
dignification  and  dominion  of  the  clergy;  nor  yet  for  tithes,  in- 
volving high  salaries  and  great  worldly  possessions  ?  How 
many  clerical  reformers  have  cried  aloud  for  reformation,  but 
who,  rather  than  adopt  measures  perfectly  in  order,  and  such 
as  must  needs  bring  to  pass  the  reformation  contended  for,  have 
been  seen  to  turn  aside,  and  adopt  the  order  of  disorder,  in- 
volving the  whole  system  and  See  of  Rome,  as  the  most  direct 
way  of  attaining  to  the  highest  and  purest  order  ever  dreamed 
of  by  the  most  sainted  reformer?  From  all  which,  it  is  gener- 
ally to  be  concluded,  that,  under  the  specious  pretext  of  being 
the  friends  of  true  order,  the  enemies  of  Divine  order,  whether 
civil  tyrants  or  other  oppressors,  have  ever  contended  for  the 
order  of  disorder,  as  the  only  road  to  true  order  !  But  it  should 
be  known,  that  those  who  contend  for  disorder  as  the  means  to 
true  order,  virtually  contend  to  do  evil  that  good  may  come ; 
concerning  whom,  says  the  apostle,  "  their  condemnation 
[damnation]  is  just!" 

APP.— 2 


C    14  ] 


18.  VII.  In  p.  163,  first  column,  we  are  virtually  told,  that 
"Accommodation  is  t/ie  great  principle  by  tohich  tlie  Divine 
himself  acts,  and  has  ever  acted  since  the  full  of  7nan;" — and 
thai  "men  have  the  Divine  example  before  them,  teaching  them, 
that  in  every  thing,''' — ilius  in  the  etiiablishment  of  ecclesias- 
tical laws  of  cliurcli  order,  (cliurch  order  being  the  subject  of 
the  discourse,) — ''they  should  act  on  the  loise  principle  of  ac- 
commodation to  the  state  of  the  sid)ject  to  be  acted  vpon.'^ 

It  is  remarkable,  that,  in  tlie  things  here  adduced,  it  is  not 
proposed  that  men  ouglit  reciprocally  to  accommodate  them- 
selves to  the  Word,  in  order  thence  to  be  conjoined  to  the  Lord, 
and  thus  to  be  regenerated  and  saved.    But,  strange  to  tell  I 
instead  o{  this,  it  is  jiroposed  that  men — as  though  men  had 
indeed  been  constituted  saviours  of  the  church  and  of  the  world — 
have  the  example  of  tlie  Lord  himself  before  them,  to  teach 
them  to  accommodate  themselves,  by  their  laws  of  church  ordet, 
to  the  different  states  of  ihe  subjects  or  bein«s  to  be  acted  ujion  ! 
But,  instead  of  such  shocking  arrogance  and  presumption,  equal 
if  not  exceeding  anything  heretofore  found  in  the  streets  of 
Babylon,  let  it  be  noted  in  the  book  of  remembrance,  that  when 
the  Lord  ceases  to  be  the  God  of  the  earth  as  well  as  of  the 
heavens;  of  the  vallies  as  well  as  of  the  hills;  (1  King«,  xx,  28;) 
when  the  Lord  utterly  forsakes  the  church;  (Isa.,  xlix,  14;) 
when  His  Word  becomes  utterly  sealed  up  (Isa.,  xxix,  11,  12,) 
to  the  new  as  well  as  to  the  old  church;  and  when  the  Lord 
ceases  to  be  the  Creator  [Regenerator]  of  the  earths  [externals] 
as  well  as  of  the  heavens,  [internals,] — then,  surely,  it  were 
soon  enough  for  men,  in  whose  hearts  it  is  acknowledged  the 
monster  self-love  is  continually  rising  up  and  clutcliing  ai  all  it 
can  reach,  to  constitute  themselves  regenerators  and  saviours  of 
the  church  or  of  the  world  !    'i'hen,  surely,  were  it  soon  enough 
for  such  men  to  gravely  allege,  that  in  all  their  enactments  they 
ought  lo  act  on  the  wise  principle  of  accommodatii>n  to  the 
unregenerated  and  diseased  slate  of  the  subject,  after  the  exam- 
ple ol  the  Divine  Himself!    'I'hen,  surely,  were  it  soon  enough 
for  such  self-consiiiuted  saviours  to  vittually  teach  alid  preach, 
that,  as  the  Lord  Himself  once  accommodated  Himself  to  the 
church  by  His  ff'ord,  comprising  tin-  laws  of  her  external  as 
well  as  internal  oider,  anil  all  perfectly  in  order — so  ouuht  they 
now,  after  His  great  example,  to  aicommodale  themselves  lo 
the  church  by  their  word,  comprisinj;  the  laws  [rules]  of  ex- 
ternal order,  and  all  perfectly  in  the  order  of  disorder! 

19.  But  as  there  are  two  classes  now  got  up  in  the  church, 
— that  is,  the  clergy  and  the  laity, — the  question  arises,  namely, 
which  class  is  alluded  lo,  where  it  is  said  that  "//tcj/  have  the 


C    15  ] 


Divine  example  before  them,  to  act  [legislate]  on  the  wise 
principle  of  acciunmodaiion  to  the  beiii};  [subjeci]  to  l)e  acted 
Upon  ?  Is  it  tlie  class  of  the  laity  thai  is  here  spoken  of? 
Surely  not.  For,  where  was  there  ever  an  ecclesiastic  yet 
found  liumble  enough,  not  to  treat  witi(  scorn  and  ooniempt  the 
idea  of  laymen  [profane]  (see  Precursor,  vol.  3,  p.  74)  letting 
tb^usclves  down,  in  their  legislative  enactments,  by  way  of 
acconuHodation  to  the  diseased  slate  of  the  clergy?  Where  was 
the  ecclesiastic  yet  found,  vvho  would  not  conceive  it  lo  be  the 
height  of  presumption  in  laymen  even  to  suggest  that  it  were 
possil)le  that  ihe  stale  of  the  clergy  was  more  diseased,  disor- 
dered and  corrupt  than  that  of  their  own  ?  Whence,  it  become.s 
manifest,  that  by  "//ipi/  ivlio  in  //jcir  «c/5  [legislative  enactments] 
<zre  to  accommodate  tliemselves  to  the  state  of  the  beings  to  be 
■acted  upon,"  are  meant,  not  the  laily,  but  the  clergy  '.  Ii  is  the 
clergy,  therefore,  who,  agreeably  to  the  dogmas  we  are  con- 
sideiing,  are  to  devise  and  seek  out  from  their  own  best  jiidg- 
menls,  flowing  from  their  own  corrupt  and  diseased  minds,  that 
is,  from  the  imagination  of  the  thought  of  their  own  hearts,  ia 
which  the  monster  self-love  is  continually  rising  and  operating, 
a  code  of  ecclesiastical  laws  after  the  order  of  disorder;  that  is, 
independently  of  the  Word  !  so  that  ihey  may  be  the  better 
adapied  lo  the  disordered  stite  of  the  church — the  laity. 

20.  But  who  is  so  blind  as  to  be  unable  to  see,  that  a  code 
of  laws  establishing  the  order  of  the  church,  framed  by  the 
clergy,  in  whom  the  monster  self-love  is  continually  operating, 
must  of  necessity  be  abundantly  belter  calculated  to  establish 
power,  authority  and  dominion  in  the  h:;nds  of  the  clergy,  than 
to  establish  any  external  blessing  whatever  in  the  hands  of  the 
laity,  much  less  to  promote  the  work  of  regeneration  and  salva- 
tion in  their  souls  ? 

21.  What  cause  has  the  church,  as  consisting  of  the  laity, 
ever  had  to  thank  or  bless  ecclesiastical-  legislators,  in  conse- 
quence of  their  officiously  accommodaiing  themselves  to  her 
state,  by  their  words,  namely,  by  their  ecclesiastical  laws  of 
church  order,  as  laid  down  in  their  books,  called  constitutions, 
confessions  of  faith,  forms  of  concord,  (or  rather  of  discord,) 
etc.,  especially  when  it  is  known  that  such  things,  whatever 
their  framers  and  advocates  may  boast  to  the  contrary,  have 
never  yet  been  made  (and  without  doubt  never  can  be  made)  to 
accommodate  the  church  in  the  way  of  any  external  blessing 
whatever — much  less  in  the  way  of  regeneration  and  salv.ition? 
But,  contrariwise,  that  the  end  of  such  laws  forever  has  been, 
and,  doubtless,  will  forever  be,  (at  least  until  the  Lord  shall 
utterly  abolish  them  by  the  brightness  of  His  coming,)  no  other 


L    16  J 


than  to  accommodate  just  the  clergy  themselves,  namely,  by 
providing  that  dignification,  dominion  and  high  salaries  for  life 
should  be  awarded  to  them  as  rights  appertaining  to  their  oflice! 

22,  Of  the  things  spoken  in  a  few  of  the  preceding  articles, 
this  appears  to  be  the  sum,  that  if  the  Lord  has  indeed  accom- 
modated Himself  to  the  states  of  the  church,  not  only  as  re- 
ferred to  her  internal  order,  but  also  to  her  external  order,  by 
means  of  the  laws  of  ciiurch  order  given  in  His  Word, — then, 
it  evidently  follows,  tliat  each  and  every  commandment  of  men, 
whether  enacted  by  the  clergy  or  laity,  purporting  to  be  a  law 
of  church  order,  which,  from  the  least  degree  of  light  of  either 
i-eason  or  revelation,  can  be  conceived  as  binding  on  the  weak- 
est conscience,  stands  in  direct  hostility  to  the  laws  of  order 
laid  in  the  Word.  Whence,  it  faither  follows,  that,  besides  the 
laws  of  church  order  laid  in  the  Word,  the  church  has  need  of 
no  others,  if  we  except  a  manifesto  against  ecclesiastical  legisla- 
tors, legislation  and  laws. 

23.  Vni.  In  p.  163,  the  following  dogmas  are  essentially- 
exhibited,  namely:  that  "zY  is  in  accordance  with  the  lazos  of 
supretne  order  [Divine  order]  to  make  use  of  means  [ecclesi- 
astical laws  of  church  order]  tohich  are  not  in  themselves  or- 
derly, for  the  purpose  of  attaining  an  orderly  end,  [ihat  is,  to 
do  evil  that  good  may  come,]  namely,  man's  regeneration  and 
salvationJ'^  ^^TVhcn  such  means,  [disorderly  laws  of  church 
order]  are  necessary,  it  tvould  be  contrary  to  order  not  to  use 
them,  or  indeed  to  use  any  others.''^  That  ''Man's  regenera- 
tion is  the  great  end  tvhich  ought  to  be  kept  in  view  in  all 
inan's  acts  and  institutions  connected  with  the  chnrch;''  [that 
is,  in  all  the  ecclesiastical  laws  of  church  order  enacted  by  the 
clergy;  see  the  last  number.]  "External  institutions  of  the 
church  [ecclesiastical  laws  of  church  order  enacted  by  the  clergy 
and  their  creatures]  are  to  be  regarded  as  means  to  this  one 
end — man's  regeneration  and  salvation." 

From  the  dogmas  here  adduced  from  the  columns  of  the  Pre- 
cursor, we  hope  that  one  thing  at  least  will  become  manifest  to 
all,  namely,  that  in  the  preceding  remarks,  the  things  contained 
in  the  columns  in  question,  so  far  from  being  misrepresented, 
have  been  fairly  and  truly  laid  before  the  reader.  And,  in  con- 
firmation of  which,  we  find  it  here  asserted,  that  it  is  in  accord- 
ance with  Divine  order,  for  men,  in  whose  hearts  ihe  monster 
self-love  is  continually  operating,  (page  165,  first  column,)  and 
men,  whose  minds  are  totally  deranged  and  disordered,  (page 
162,)  to  frame  and  establish  laws  of  church  order,  which  are 
the  order  of  disorder,  (ibid.,)  or,  as  expressly  staled  above. 


[    i7  ] 


which  are  not  in  themselves  perfectly  in  order,  according  to 
to  their  best  judgment,  (ibid.)/or  the  sake  of  the  orderly  end, 
namely,  man's  regeneration  and  salvation  !  T3ut  concerning  the 
impossibility  and  absurdity  of  all  whicli,  see  n.  5  to  22. 

24.  It  is  very  remarkable,  that  in  the  columns  containing 
the  dogmas  under  consideration,  there  is  not  so  much  as  a  single 
hint  dropt  going  to  show,  that,  as  the  Lord  let  Himself  down  to 
the  different  states  of  the  church  by  means  of  tlie  laws  of  churcli 
order  laid  in  the  Word,  so  ought  men  reciprocally  to  accommo- 
date themselves  to  His  Word,  thus  to  the  laws  of  order  accord- 
ing to  which  God  himself,  independently  of  man,  (for  of  the 
people  there  was  none  with  Him,)  has  established  His  church, 
to  the  end  that  they  might  thence  be  conjoined  to  the  Lord, 
tiius  regenerated  and  saved  indeed  !  Nay,  so  far  fiom  things 
of  this  kind  being  suggested,  tlie  Divine  Himself,  when  intro- 
duced to  notice,  is  only  introduced  as  a  pattern  to  men,  who 
are  blasphemously  supposed  to  be  authorized  to  execute  a  sim- 
ilar oflice ! — to  men  blasphemously  supposed  to  stand  in  a 
similar  relation  to  the  Lord,  that  Adams,  Jeffeison,  Madison, 
Monroe,  elc.,^  stood  in  relation  to  Washington  !  Concerning 
which,  see  n.  18. 


25.  IX.  Finally,  in  second  column  of  same  page  with  the 
last,  the  following  dogmas  are  essentially  exhibited,  namely, 
that  "it  is  unnecessary  that  the  external  institutions  of  the 
church  [that  is,  ecclesiastical  laws]  should  be  in  abstract 
[Divine]  order;''  but  onl}^  that  "they  be  such  as  will  best  suit 
the  end;'*  that  "toe  should  not  trouble  ourselves  about  the 
question,  whether  this  or  that  external  church  establishment 
[that  is,  code  of  ecclesiastical  laws]  he  in  abstract  [Divine] 
order  or  in  disorder;"  that  "we  should  not  debate  and  discuss 
with  a  view  that  we  might  attain  to  the  perfection  of  external 
order;  [to  the  laws  of  order  laid  in  the  Word;]  that  such  order 
for  us  [whose  minds  are  totally  deranged  and  disordered]  ivotild 
be  the  height  of  disorder;  and  would  be  like  dressing  an  infant 
in  man's  clothes;  and  therefore,  that  (p.  164,  first  column)  we 
should  not  hold  up  to  ourselves  this  or  that  form  of  external 
order,  [Divine  order  not  excepted !]  as  our  standard  or  model 
at  all;  but  [in  the  ecclesiastical  laws  of  order  framed  by  us] 
accommodate  the  means  to  the  end,  according  to  our  best 
judgment." 

Of  the  dogmas  here  adduced,  it  may  be  said,  that  thej'  are  as 
another  column  of  smoke  from  the  same  furnace  or  fire  with 
those  exhibited  in  the  preceding  articles;  and  that,  taken  tO' 

2* 


C    18  ] 


gelher,  their  tendency  is  to  darken  the  sun  and  air  [place  in 
obscurity  the  Divine  Love  and  Wisdom  exhibited  in  the  Word,3 
of  the  moral  world, 

26.  Who  is  so  blind  that  he  cannot  see,  that  the  gist  of  the 
above  dogmas  is  to  maintain  the  propriety  of  establishing  the 
order  of  disorder,  even  when  it  is  known  to  be  snch  !  and,  of 
adhering  to  it  against  our  belter  judgments  !  Nay,  that  the 
order  of  disorder  should  be  adopted,  according  to  our  best 
judgment,  although  such  order  be  not  that  order  which  our  best 
judiiment  approves  !  Who  cannot  see,  that  if  we  are  not  to 
hold  up  this  or  that  standard  of  external  order  as  the  order  of 
the  church,  that  the  order  according  to  which  God  has  estab- 
lished the  church,  so  far  from  being  held  up  and  adopted,  must 
needs  also  be  denied  and  rejected  ;  and  that  if  the  order  of  dis- 
order must  be  embraced,  the  Divine  order  must  be  rejected, 
and,  if  for  no  other  cause,  yet  for  this,  that  it  is  perfectly  in 
order — ye^,  perfect — converting  the  soul.  (Psalm  vii,  10.) 

27.  In  A.  C,  3563,  we  are  taught,  that  the  influx  of  divine 
good  from  the  Lord  is  capable  of  reaching  the  good  of  the  nat- 
ural principle  in  man,  by  two  ways,  namely,  througli  the  good 
of  the  rational,  and  through  the  truth  of  the  rational;  and,  that 
the  latter  way  is  accommodated  to  man  previous  to  regenera- 
tion, and  the  former  after  regeneration  ;  the  latter  way  is  ac- 
commodated to  man  when  his  back  is  partially  turned  on  heaven, 
and  is  said  to  be  the  indirect  or  inverted  way  of  Divine  order, 
and  this  because  of  the  inverted  state  of  the  recipient;  for,  in 
itself,  it  is  one,  and  never  against  itself;  it  is  like  truth  which 
always  hangs  with  itself;  for  it  is  the  complex  of  all  truth. 
Such  being  the  case,  shall  vain  man,  filled  with  the  conceit  of 
aelf-derived  intelligence,  nevertheless  be  so  infatuated  as  to  sup- 
pose, that  he  has  discovered  therein  ground,  foundation,  or  au- 
thority for  the  order  of  disorder,  involving  ecclesiastical  laws 
of  church  order  from  his  own  best  judgment,  sufTicient  to 
darken  the  sun  and  air? — involving  also,  that  he  (vain  worm) 
TC^y  seize  at  least  upon  an  equal  share  of  heaven's  throne  and 
kingdom,  and  thence,  after  the  example  of  the  Lord  Himself, 
accommodate  himself,  by  means  of  ecclesiastical  la«  s  of  dis- 
order, to  the  stale  of  the  subjects  [laity]  to  he  acted  upon;  thus, 
in  the  general,  to  their  regeneration  and  salvation  !  (Compare 
with  p.  164.) 

28.  In  Universal  Theology,  n.  .55,  we  are  taught,  that  the 
ceremonies  of  the  church  make  the  dress,  which  may  he  changed 
at  pleasure ;  and  the  reason  is  manifest,  because  they  involve 
nothing  more  than  the  mere  form  which  the  members  of  the 
church  unanimously  assume  or  adopt,  in  order  to  accommodate 


[    19  ] 


themselves  to  the  order  (external  or  internal)  according  to  which 
God  Himself  lias  established  the  church.  But,  is  this  outward 
accommodation  or  conformity  to  the  order  of  God  all  'hat  is 
involved  in  the  ecclesiastical  acts  and  insiitutions  spoken  of  and 
alluded  to  in  the  dogmas  under  consideration  ?  Who  cannot 
see,  that  the  outward  conformity  to  the  order  of  God,  just 
spoken  of,  and  all  the  ecclesiastical  laws  of  church  order  which 
man,  in  whose  heart  the  monster  self-love  is  continually  ope- 
rating, has,  from  lime  to  time,  brought  in  upon  ihe  church  like 
a  flood  to  carry  her  away,  are,  by  no  means,  one  and  the  same 
thing  ? 

29.  But  that  the  external  inslittilions  and  establishments 
of  tlie  church,  spoken  of  and  alluded  to  in  the  dogmas  in  ques- 
tion, did  involve  ecclesirslical  laws  utterly  beyond,  foreign  to, 
and  totally  different  from  any  thing  included  in  the  ritual  and 
ceremonies  spoken  of  by  Emanual  Swedenborg,  may  be  seen, 
hy  adducing  one  ecclesiastical,  law  as  a  sample  of  many  that 
are,  or  might  with  equal  proprieiy  be  involved  in  the  phrase 
'■'■external  institutions  oj  the  church,"  [^modestly  called  church 
ordei  ]    The  law  alluded  to,  as  a  sample,  reads  as  follows: 

"The  clergy  shtll  be  ex-officio  members  and  thej'  shall  constitute  a 
standing  coiiiiiiii  tee,  to  whmn  shall  be  referred  all  applications  for  admis- 
sion into  the  ministerial  office." 

Here  it  is  asked,  how  is  it,  that  the  rites  and  ceremonies  of 
the  church  involve  in  them  ecclesiastical  laws  of  this  character? 
If  they  do,  then  it  may  with  propriety  and  truth  be  affirmed, 
that  ihe  mere  ceremonies  of  the  church  involve  within  them 
every  abomination,  in  the  shape  of  ecclesiastical  laws,  (includ- 
ing predestination  and  the  vicarship  of  the  pope,  both  from  the 
abyss,)  with  wliich  the  church  has  ever  been  afflicted;  and  es- 
pecially from  the  days  of  the  council  of  Nice  down  to  the  pre- 
sent lime  ! 

Who  cannot  see,  that  the  above  ecclesiastical  law  is  utterly 
beyond,  foreign  to,  and  altogether  different  from  any  thing  that 
can  possibly  be  involved  in  mere  ceremony  or  ritual  observance? 
Whence,  not  being  one  of  the  rituals  or  ceremonies  of  the 
church,  it  necessarily  occupies  the  place  of  a  law,  according  to 
which  the  order  of  the  church  is  designed  to  be  established. 
But  the  laws  according  to  which  the  order  of  the  church  is  al- 
ready established,  are  all  enacted  and  ordained  of  God,  and  are 
as  many  as  there  are  truths  in  the  Word.  (U.  T.,  n.  55.)  There- 
fore, the  law  in  question  being  devised  and  enacted  hy  men, 
and  designed  to  establish  the  order  of  the  church — alrei-dy  estab- 
lished— must  of  necessity  be  classed  with  the  traditions  and 


[    20  ] 


commandments  of  men;  the  tendency  of  which  ever  have  been 
to  make  void  the  law  of  God! 

Whence,  the  attempt  to  induce  the  belief,  that  the  rituals 
and  ceremonies  of  the  church  include  within  them  all  external 
order,  (p.  164,  second  column,)  when  yet  external  order  in- 
cludes within  it  external  institutions,  and  these  again  all  manner 
of  ecclesiastical  laws,  that  men,  in  whom  the  love  of  self  and 
lust  of  dominion  prevail,  maj'  see  fit  to  enact  for  the  good  of  the 
church  %CT°  ostensibh/,  — but  to  promote  their  own  ambi- 
tious ends  really — is  a  vain  attempt. 

30.  A.S  touching  the  general  tenor  of  the  dogmas  under  con- 
sideration, and  especially,  that  remarkable  and  quite  prevalent 
idea,  namely,  that  men,  in  their  ecclesiastical  enactments,  are 
to  accommodate  themselves,  according  to  their  best  judgment, 
to  the  state  of  the  being  or  subject  to  be  acted  upon, — let  it  be 
called  to  remembrance,  that  the  question  put  by  the  prophet 
Elijah  to  the  messengers  of  the  diseased  king  of  Israel  who  had 
fallen  down  through  a  lattice  from  his  upper  story,  bears  di- 
'  rectly  on  the  point ;  for,  the  question  is  this  :  "Is  it  not  because 
tiiere  is  not  a  God  in  Israel,  to  enquire  of  his  word,  that  ye  go 
to  enquire  of  Baalzebub  the  god  of  Ekron  ?"  (2  Kings,  i,  2,  16.) 
For,  in  relation  to  the  general  point  at  issue,  is  it  not  evident, 
that  questions  virtually  the  same  may  even  now  be  put  to  the 
messengers  of  truth,  with  the  utmost  propriety?  As,  for  exam- 
ple, "Is  it  not  because  the  Lord  l.ath  forsaken  his  people — Is  it 
not  because  the  Lord  hath  thrown  down  from  his  shoulders  the 
government  of  his  church,  and  divorced  himself  from  his  bride 
and  wife,  so  that  he  will  no  more  forever  be  her  husband  and 
head — Is  it  not  because  the  Word  of  the  Lord  to  the  church  has 
become  utterly  a  sealed  book,  and  this  to  such  a  degree,  that 
she  is  unable  to  look  upon  even  the  back  side  so  far  as  to  learn 
and  know  what  her  external  order  and  deportment  ought  to  be — 
Is  it  not  because  tliere  is  no  access  to  the  balm  of  Gilead,  much 
less  to  the  Physician  there, — that  the  men  of  the  New  Church 
of  the  Lord  must  yet  go  to  enquire  of  the  best  judgment  of  men, 
totally  deranged  and  disordered  in  their  m/?jf/s,  and  in  whose 
hearts  the  monster  self-love  is  continually  rising  tip  and 
clutching  at  all  he  can  reach,  and  striving  to  subject  all  to  his 
dominion,  respecting  the  diseased  and  disordered  state  of  the 
church — supposing  it  to  be  indeed  true,  that,  after  the  example 
of  Ahaziah,  she  also  has  fallen  down  through  a  lattice  from  her 
upper  story  or  chamber?  Or,  that  the  men  of  the  New  Church 
must  yet  go  to  enquire  of  the  best  judgment  of  such  men,  re- 
specting that  species  of  the  order  of  disorder,  and  especially 
respecting  that  species  of  noxious  and  poisonous  medicines — 


[    21  ] 


whether  il  be  "the  poison  of  asps"  or  "Me  venom  of  dragons'' 
— best  adapted  and  accommodated  to  her  state,  and  most  likely 
to  ejf/ecl  a  cure! 

•31.    Tell  ine,  O  ye  professed  watchmen  on  Zion's  walls! 
and  dt'clare  to  the  church,  ye  professed  physicians  of  sin-sick 
souls!  what  is  the  difference  between  setting  up  Baalzebub  the 
god  of  Ekron,  as  tlie  oracle  to  enquire  at  in  the  case  of  the  dis- 
eased Ahaziali,  instead  of  the  Word  of  the  Lord,  and  setting  up 
the  best  judgment  of  men  in  whose  hearts  the  monster  self-love 
is  continually  at  work,  as  the  oracle  to  enquire  at  in  the  case  of 
the  diseased  church,  instead  of  the  Word  of  the  Lord?  Nay, 
declare  also,  what  is  the  difference  between  the  crime  of  those 
who  brought  in  an  evil  report  on  the  promised  land,  by  teaching 
that  Egypt  or  the  wilderness  itself  (the  order  of  disorder)  was 
better  accommodated  to  the  state  of  the  church  than  the  land  of 
Canaan  itself,  (the  order  of  Divine  order,)  and  the  crime  of  those 
who  now  contend,  that  the  order  of  disorder  is  better  adapted  to 
the  stale  of  the  church  than  perfect  order  itself!    In  Moses, 
we  are  taught  that  "Caleb  stilled  the  people,"  and  said,  "let  us 
go  up  at  once,  and  possess  (the  promised  land;)  for  we  are  well 
able  to  overcome  it."  (Num.,  xiii,  30.)    And,  after  his  great 
example,  I  would,  were  it  the  will  of  the  Lord,  be  instrumental 
in  stilling  the  men  of  His  New  Church,  now  entangled  in  the 
wilderness  of  the  order  of  disorder  J    With  Caleb,  I  would  say, 
"Let  us  go  up  at  once,  and  possess  divine  order  I"  that  is,  live 
in  it,  and  walk  according  to  it;  for  this  is  that  which  the  Lord 
has  promised  to  His  New  Church;  or.  He  has  virtually  prom- 
ised nothing!    This  is  that  land,  my  beloved  brethren  of  the 
New  Church,  that  flows  with  genuine  milk  and  honey  !  "Let 
us  then  go  up  at  once  and  possess  it !"    And,  that  your  dili- 
gence may  be  quickened,  call  to  remembrance,  not  only  that 
the  diseased  Ahaziah  who  enquired  of  Baalzebub,  never  rose 
from  his  bed  of  disease  or  disorder!  but,  also,  that  the  children 
of  Israel,  who  drank  in  the  evil  report  respecting  the  land  prom- 
ised to  them,  never  lived  to  see  il !    They  died  in  the  wilder- 
ness ;  that  is,  in  the  order  of  disorder  which  they  had  chosen 
and  adopted  ! 

32.  Finally,  it  may  justly  be  concluded,  that  those  who 
affirm  that  the  laws  of  church  order  as  laid  in  the  Word  are  not 
sufficiently  definite  for  the  government  of  the  church  in  relation 
to  her  external  order,  manifestly  betray  their  ignorance  of  the 
nature  of  those  laws.  Who,  that  has  made  himself  acquainted 
with  the  Word,  and  the  heavenly  doctrines  of  the  New  Church, 
all  of  which  treat  solely  of  the  Lord  and  the  Church,  can  after- 
wards affirm,  that,  in  relation  to  that  external  order  which  the 


C    22  ] 


Church  ought  to  adopt,  they  are  blank  or  even  deficient?  Much 
less,  who  can  affirm,  that,  being  deficient  through  neirlect,  mis- 
take, or  some  other  cause,  it  therefore  belongs  to  men  whose 
minds  are  lolallij  deranged  and  disordered,  and  in  whose 
hearts  the  mon>s1er  self  love  is  continvally  i-isins;  tip,  etc., 
to  supply  that  deficiency  according  to  iheit  best  judgments^ 
taking  care,  however,  that  the  deficiency  so  supplied  shall  be 
after  the  order  of  disorder,  and  not  after  that  which  is  perfectly 
in  Older  ? 

With  him  who  can  thus  affirm,  besides  the  things  adduced 
in  the  preceding  ariicies,  we  will  leave  yet  this  one  more  word 
of  the  Lord:  "  Trust  ye  not  in  a  friend,  put  no  confidence  in  a 
guide:  lor  a  man's  enemies  sh;dl  be  they  of  his  own  house; 
thorefore  will  I  look  to  the  Lord  ;  my  God  will  hear  me." 

Enthymemus. 

Cincinnati,  Apnl  \9lh,  1843. 

MORE  ECCLESIASTICAL  LEGISLATION —ANOTHER  COXSTI- 
TUriON  BROUGHT  FORTH. 

Thk  fonilnpss  for  eoclosiastical  le,!:i=lation  among  a  larsre  poitionof  tho 
proffssed  receivers  of  the  heavoiily  doctrines  of  the  New  Jerusalem  seems 
undiiiiinished,  even  mav,  while  tlie  respleiidfnt  beams  of  the  New  Dispen- 
sation, yea,  the  seven-fold  brightness  of  the  latter  day  Jllory,  is  revealing 
the  diiel'ul  havoc  w  hich  the  iii(hile;en<;e  of  that  propensity  has  made  in  the 
coii^iiriiniateil  rhnrcli,  wnrnins;  us  to  avoiil  it  a-  we  would  the  icy  hand  of 
death.  From  the  mauit'.dd  cautions  on  this  subject,  which  abound  in  the 
\vritin!;s  of  the  churt  li,  one  would  suppose  that  men  conv  irsant  with  tljose 
writings  would  be  slow  and  wary  orpiiltiinr  their  hands  to  a  work  which 
is  sure  lo  bring  desolation  and  death  in  iis  train.  But  these  oft-repeated 
warnings  are  uidiceded.  so  diai,  in  view  of  these  things,  one  i-  led  to  ex- 
claim, with  the  prophet  Isaiah,  "Why  should  ye  be  stricken  any  more'? 
je  will  revolt  more  and  more.  The  whole  head  is  sick,  aa<l  llie  whole 
lieart  faint."    (Sec  the  whole  of  the  first  chapter.) 

We  were  led  to  these  reflocti>  iis  by  a  recent  attempt,  in  this  city,  lo 
form  wh.at  is  called  a  Missionart/  Siirieli/,  in  which  the  Irgislating  profjcn- 
sity  was  strongly  manil'estcil.  An  Association  was  got  up  nstensioly  for 
the  more  etricicnt  propagation  of  the  Heavenly  Doctrines;  and  we  doubt 
not  but  that  a  majority  of  those  concerned  were  intluenced  by  such  worthy 
motives.  But,  as  it  is  not  our  province  to  pass  judgment  on  the  motives 
of  our  brethren,  our  remarks  are  desi;;ned  to  have  a  bearing  only  on  the 
tendency  of  the  measures  »hich  they  have  adopted. 

At  the  first  mcciing,  an  outline  of  a  plan  was  proposed  by  Oliver  Lovell, 
in  which  was  manifested  an  endeavor  to  unite  (he  three  societies  of  (^in- 
ciiin;iti  into  one,  so  that  one  preacher  might  supply  the  Cincinnati  stntion, 
while  the  others  shi>uld  be  engaged  in  preaching  at  other  jdiices  in  and 
out  of  the  State,  where  no  regular  preacher  is  now  stationed  ; — apian 
somewhat  after  the  order  of  the  Mcthodistic  itinerancy.  It  was  soon  dis- 
covereil,  however,  that  the  constituent  principle's  of  the  ihrce  societies 
were  of  such  a  quality  as  to  preclude  all  hopes  i^f  an  amalgnmation  :  and 
this  plan  was  urged  no  farther.    Then  au  attempt  was  uiade  to  form  a 


C    23  ] 


Missionnry  Asstvciafion,  to  be  composed  of  the  three  societies,  each  #f 
which  was  Id  be  allowed  to  retain  its  di-tiiictive  place,  time  anil  firm  of 
worship.  This  also  Tailed.  I'liially,  it  was  deteriiiiiieil,  that  an  AsFucia- 
tion  slioulil  be  Coriiied  of  indiviilual  receivers,  and  a  coinniittee  of  seven 
□  ppoiiile  1  to  draft  a  Coiislitiition. 

At  the  second  meeting,  .i  Constitution  was  reported,  providing  for  the 
election  of  oliicers,  the  [)rincipal  of  whom  are  a  Bnurd  of  Co.itrol,  twelve 
in  number,  (^eveli  of  them  to  be  residents  of  this  city,)  who  are  to  mana;;e 
the  concerns  of  the  Association.  It  firtber  provides,  thai  any  person  may 
become  a  member  by  simply  subscribing  his  or  her  name  to  the  Constitu- 
tion, which  leaves  i'  optional  with  the  members  to  contribute  to  the  sup- 
port of  the  society,  "according  to  their  ability."  An  attempt  was  made 
to  requite  of  eiich  member  the  aniinal  sniii  of  Five  Dollars ;  anodier  moved 
that  'I'cn  Dollars  he  substituted ;  and  a  third  proposed  to  bind  the  mem- 
bers to  pay  over  all  the  lunds  which  they  might  have  for  the  support  of  the 
ministry,  into  the  hands  of  the  .\ssui  iatioii.  The  aajendments  all  failed, 
and  tlie  origit>al  article,  that  "members  should  give  according  to  their 
ability,"'  was  finally  ailopted. 

While  these  things  were  pending,  one  of  the  meeting  inquired,  if  it  was 
a. part  of  the  plan  that  the  missionaries  shoidil  he  co\iiposed  ^'■exclusivilij''' 
of  the  man-ordained  clergy  !    On  behig  answered  in  the  affirmative,  he 
declared  it  to  be  his  beliei,  that,  if  such  was  the  intention,  their  work 
would  come  to  nought;  inasmuch  as  they  were  proceeding  to  carry  for- 
wartl  a   [""''iciple  which  had  already  caused  serious  divisions  in  their 
counsels  in  general  convention;  complelely  destroyed  (heir  periodical, 
'I'he  Precursor,  which  of  itself  ought  to  .Save  been  a  most  efficient  nji-sion- 
ary ;  and  which  would  continue  to  divide  and  rend  asunder  the  cliurch, 
so  long  as  any  portion  of  llieni  adhered  to  a  system  so  obnoxious  to  the 
j)laincst  teachings  of  the  Word  and  the  Heavenly  Uixtriiies — asvsleui 
which  belongs  fxc/wstV/y  to  that  order  of  things  which  has  forever  passed 
away,    lie  further  declared,  that  the  prosecution  of  their  plan  would 
operate  nothing  less  than  to  tix  and  permanently  establish  over  the  infant 
church  .\  HIRELING  .MINIS  TRY  !— one  ellVct  of  which  had  already 
proved  to  be  the  discountenancing  and  discouraging  the  free  use  and 
cultivation  of  the  gift  of  God  in  laymen,  bj  frowning  tlovvri  their  attempts 
to  teach  their  neighbors  the  glorious  things  that  they  themselves  had 
learned  cnncerning  the  beatitti<les  of  heaverdy  life.    Again,  by  confining 
their  sup[)ort,  pecuinary  tin  I  otherwise,  to  a  certain  cluss  or  ordt  r  of  men, 
another  sad  effect  wonld  be,  to  strengthen  and  confirm  the  very  immodest 
pretensions  and  most  arrogant  claims  which  lhal  class  has  alreaily  assumed 
in  the  New  Church;  and  whose  antichristian  principles  even  now,  un- 
blushitigly,  and  in  the  li^ht  of  this  glorious  d^iy,  stiuid  embodied  in  the 
form  of  ecclesiastical  laws,  darkening  with  (heir  hideous  front  the  first 
and  th  rd  articles  of  the  Constitution  of  the  Western  Convention. 

It  wa.s  in  vain  that  this  person  endeavored,  at  their  several  meetings,  to 
draw  att<'ntion  to  this  view  of  the  subject,  ami  conlem|date  lor  a  single 
m(une'>t  thf  mischiefs  and  certain  dangers  that  stand  in  the  way  they  had 
determined  to  pursue.  Th:'y  would  scarcely  listen  to  a  single  proposition 
of  the  speaker,  so  wedded  were  ihey  to  the  forms  of  an  idd  church  priest- 
hood. As  a  last  resort,  he  proposed  that  another  article  shoulit  b^'  added 
to  the  Constitution,  the  effect  of  which,  he  said,  would  be  to  draw  towards 
them  a  considerable  class  ol  n.inds,  which,  without  it,  must  be  separated 
and  driven  still  farther  from  them.    The  article  is  as  follows: 

'  Art.  13.  That  nothing  contained  in  this  Cons'itulion  is  to  be  con- 
slruetl  so  as  to  prohibit  any  genu'ne  Newchurcbmaii  from  teaching  the 
Heavenly  Doctrines,  and  that  without  pecuniary  compcusation,  if  he  be 
fo  disposed." 


[       24:  ] 


This  article  was  not  only  indignantly  rejected,  but  the  motives  of  the 
mover  oi'  it  were  harshly  aspersed  by  several  persons;  one  of  whonj  said, 
that  it  "reminded  him  of  the  dragon  that  stood  before  the  woman,  ready 
to  devour  the  man  child  as  soon  as  it  was  born."  Can  it  be  necessary  to 
^■efer  that  person  to  Apocalypse  Explained,  for  light  on  this  subject? 
Would  it  not  be  a  waste  of  time  to  attempt  to  teach  one  who  could  thus 
com])lacently  bcliold  the  abominations  which  the  above  article  seeks  lo 
avert  from  the  church  ?  Can  any  intelligent  Newohurchman,  at  this  day, 
be  ignorant  of  the  truth,  that  it  is  the  dominion  of  the  clorgy  over  the 
things  of  heaven  and  the  church,  that  is  meant  by  the  dragon?  If  there 
be  tuih  a  one,  If  t  him  quickly  learn  that  it  is  not  only  so,  but  also,  that 
"i^e  beasC  which  receive<l  the  strength  and  power  of  the  dragon,  signifies 
those  of  the  laity  who  receive  and  confirm  the  false  doctrines  by  which  the 
clergy  have  don.inion.  Let  himleam  these  tilings  truly,  lest  he,  like  the 
one  just  referred  to,  be  also  led  to  expose  his  profound  ignorance  before  a 
public  assembly,  and,  what  is  still  worse,  lest  he  be  found  confiruiing  him- 
self in  opposition  to  the  truths  of  the  Word  I 

It  was  also  stated,  as  an  argument  in  favor  of  inserting  (he  above  article 
in  the  Constitution,  that  certain  leaders  of  the  Central  Convention  were 
nt  that  very  moment  striving  to  check  the  labors  of  an  accepted  teacher 
for  more  than  seven  j  ears  past,  simply  because  he  administers  the  Word 
of  Life  without  chaige!  (hey  urging  t  hat  "his  labors  could  not  be  blessed 
until  he  receives  a  tithe  or  salary,  t(  being  disorderly."''  A  similar  attenijit 
was  made  in  this  cil}-,  in  times  past,  to  stifle  the  efforts  of  one  of  the  most 
learned,  ardent  and  enlighteneii  teachers  of  the  New  Dispensation  that 
the  church  has  yet  been  blessed  with  ;  one,  whose  noble  spirit  could  not 
sloop  to  receive  lilhcs  for  dispensing  those  goods  of  heaven,  which,  while 
they  bless  the  receiver,  fail  not  to  bring  down  a  three-fold  blessing  upon 
the  head  of  the  giver.  For  thus  spurning,  as  a  thing  forbiilden  of  God,  the 
mercenary  tithe  proferred  by  ecclesiastic  hirelings,  he  was  assailed  by  the 
foul  breath  of  slander;  and  even  yet,  lung  after  his  removal  by  an  All-wise 
Providence  from  this  world  of  disorder  and  ecclesiastical  law,  our  ears 
are  pained  with  the  hateful  echoes  of  those  slanders  wafted  hither  from 
beyond  the  broad  Atlantic.  Yes;  it  is  currently  reported  in  England, 
that  the  noble  Kiiimont  was  a  "heretic."  Thus,  whoever  chooses  to  w  alk 
according  to  the  law  of  the  Lord,  in  preference  to  the  commandmenls  of 
men,  in  the  shape  of  ecclesiastical  laws,  is  set  down  as  '•'■disorderly''''  and 
^'■hcrclicaW''  Is  not  this  "the  beast,"  spoken  of  in  the  Ilth  verse  of  (he 
13tli  chaptt  r  of  (he  Apocalypse,  "causing  that  no  man  might  buy  or  sell, 
save  ho  that  had  the  mark,  or  the  name  of  the  beast,  or  the  number  of 
his  name?"    Look  and  see! 

Beloved  brethren :  belbre  taking  our  leave  of  j  ou,  permit  us  to  leave  a 
word  of  caution.  Beware  of  the  soft  and  pleasing  accents  of  tliose  "who 
cry  i)eacel  peace!  when  there  is  no  peace."  Better  far  to  listen  to  the 
words  of  wholesome  reproof,  even  though  (hey  may  sound  unpleasant  and 
harsh  at  first,  than  to  he  deceived  into  a  fatal  quietude,  while  the  interests 
of  life  eternal  are  at  stake.  We  do  not  seek  to  give  you  cause  of  offence, 
while  addressing  you  thus  plainly;  nor  do  we  seek  your  approbation  at 
the  expense  of  sincerity  and  truth.  It  were  nn  easy  matter  for  us  to  adopt 
the  soft  and  placid  stjle  of  coiirtcousness,  and  thus  avoid  disturbing  the 
sensitive  nerves  of  those  who  prefer  their  own  ease  to  the  purification  of 
the  church.  But  such  a  course  would  be  treacherous  to  the  real  interests 
of  all  parties;  therefore,  we  "use  great  plainness  of  speech."  Having 
been  led  to  perceive  the  immeasurable  evils  which  ecclesiastical  laws  and 
lawyers  ever  have  brought  upon  the  church,  and  forever  must  bring  along 
with  them,  we  cannot  withhold  our  decided  testimony  against  them. 

Editors. 


